Why Change is Critical in Overcoming Addiction
The hardest part about recovering from addiction is when you know you have to make sacrifices and life changes. You may feel like you are always used to buying beer at your local supermarket, taking your next hit, or eating junk food at that fast food restaurant even though you know it is not healthy. Change is important in overcoming your addiction once you learn to let go of your old habits and take on new habits that will be more beneficial for your body and your life.
Accepting change into your life means taking a leap of faith that you can get better. It is possible to be afraid of taking this risk in fear that things can turn out badly. People can resist change because even though they know that their addiction had negative life consequences, it feels more familiar and comfortable being under the influence. Resisting change can cause you the urge to run back to the drugs or alcohol since it made you feel safe.
Alcoholics Anonymous says that if you keep doing the same things, you will get the same results. It is about thinking of all of the harm that your addiction has done and know that something has to change in order for those same consequences not to be repeated. The world is constantly changing right in front of us how we live. By avoiding change, you are avoiding reality. You may not have to accept every change that is going to come your way in response to your recovery but you do have to accept that things will change. You can get the most out of life through change instead of keeping yourself trapped in a bubble. In recovery, in order to overcome your challenges, it involves changing your behavior and doing things differently.
In order to allow yourself to make changes while in recovery, it is important to not assume that the changes you will make will be bad. It helps to make a list of all of the benefits that will come from each change. You can even write in your journal your initial reactions to the changes that came to you when under the influences and how you feel about them now. It is also significant to not immediately go into resistance mode whenever a new change occurs and to instead embrace them so you can grow and recover.
Castle Craig Hospital is a landmark of addiction and mental health treatment in Scotland, serving the UK, the EU, and patients from all over the world. Our commitment to long term abstinence has created a successful program of clinical and complementary therapies for mind, body, and spirit. Serving over 10,000 patients for more than 25 years, the Castle Craig model is proven in changing lives. Call our 24 hour free confidential phone-line for information: 01721 546 263. From outside the UK please call: +44 808 271 7500
