Addiction is an incredibly cruel beast and it is affecting more and more of us these days, particularly as the likes of the alcohol and opioid crisis rumbles on across the western world.
Getting help is of course vitally important, but it doesn’t just take a trip to an alcohol, cocaine or heroin rehab centre to get your life back on track. It takes a lot from within and there are certain traits that you need in order to navigate addiction recovery successfully in the long term.
But what exactly are those traits? We delve into the skills you need to develop in order to have the best recovery you can…
Resilience
Recovery from addiction is never an easy path. There will always be ups and downs and plenty of setbacks with the successes. There are unexpected challenges along the way so having the resilience to weather the storms and not to succumb to relapse long term is so vital.
The vast majority of people who enter recovery relapse at least once, but it’s how they come back from that which really tells you how well your recovery journey is going. Building resilience is an important part of this and helps people cope with triggers, cravings and importantly relapse, without losing sight of the longer term goal.
Self-awareness
A fundamental trait for successful recovery is self-awareness. By cultivating self-awareness, people can identify triggers, patterns of behaviour, and underlying emotional issues that contribute to their addiction.
It can help gain insights into motivations, values and goals, empowering them to make conscious decisions that support their recovery and entire journey. It allows us to identify our strengths and weaknesses and address the latter as areas for growth in recovery.
Commitment
It goes without saying that commitment is a key factor. Going through the treatment process itself is a commitment to your health, but that needs to continue throughout the rest of your life in recovery.
Commitment involves prioritising health and sobriety at every corner, seeking guidance when needed and importantly, being accountable for your own actions. This commitment can really aid in building a fulfilling life, free from the grips of addiction.
Adaptability
Where often change may have been a trigger for abusing substances, flexibility and adaptability are an important part of navigating addiction recovery. People have to step outside their comfort zones, that’s part of life, and more so when you have to change old habits for new ones.
It’s important to embrace new ways of thinking and explore new coping strategies and experiences that may benefit your mental health. By doing that, it can be a real vehicle for growth and a successful recovery.
Empathy
Finally, empathy is a trait that can be really powerful in recovery. It will allow you to be kinder to yourself, but also to other people, aiding them through the similar difficult times that they have. The recovery community is an incredibly powerful one and you can develop strong relationships on the grounds of being empathetic towards others. This can create more meaningful connections and allow you to navigate through life feeling supporting and being supportive.