If you've recently been through treatment for substance use, you have recently learned that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. These mistakes are lessons that help mold us into the person that we are today, regardless of whether they were good or bad situations and experiences. These experiences help us understand how we react and how we can move past our mistakes if their repercussions ever resurface in the future. Along the recovery process, making amends after undergoing treatment is an essential step that further aids your healthy lifestyle.
Making amends takes a brave and strong person that can own up to their responsibilities and previous mistakes. It takes an even stronger person to mend the broken relationships they experienced while substance use was a primary aspect of their life.
Many people in aftercare express their sorrows and apologies. It's a step that can help them move forward and recover from experiences and situations that hurt them or where they hurt someone else. These sorrows and apologies can also help other individuals involved in the situation to recover from something that might have hurt them.
It is well-known that addiction recovery is a challenging road, but the result is undeniably fulfilling. If you feel that you left a friendship or a loved one in the past or you strained a relationship because of your substance use, finding a way to make amends and regain their trust after treatment can help you recover and help you through the process faster. It can also help you establish the support group you need on the recovery path.
Many emotions arise throughout addiction treatment. Many individuals feel shame and guilt from previous situations or experiences that happened during their substance use. Some individuals may also feel they are failures or have a hard time owning up to mistakes that they made. However, when you choose to begin on the recovery journey by getting treatment, the shame and guilt can be addressed very quickly. You learn to love yourself again.
There are steps that you can take to ease your mindset. You can make a direct apology or find a way to otherwise make amends with your loved ones or the previous people you might have hurt while you were under the influence.
First, you must understand that there is a difference between apologizing and making amends. The apology is a necessary step, but it also doesn't undo the actions behind the experience. When you choose to take your apologies to the next level, you embark on a path with an achievable goal that can directly influence the present and the future of your friendships and relationships.
Making the decision to repair broken relationships through actions requires repetition. Amends are not just apologies. They are actions that require attention and dedication to regain the trust you lost.
There are multiple ways to prepare an approach when making amends. With good preparation, you can be more ready for rejection or acceptance from the person you are trying to make amends with. When preparing your amends, consider how much your actions affected the other person. Make sure that the actions you can actively address those prior situations.
It can be beneficial to take a different perspective and try to see things from their point of view. During this process, you'll work to develop empathy and further your understanding of how you wronged the other person and why it was a difficult circumstance for them.
Next, you can prepare yourself better by outlining your apology through talking to yourself or practicing in the mirror. When you prepare every element of your apology, you're better suited to express the value of the other individual and show that you're eager to make amends.
You can practice it until you're more comfortable with expressing it in person. Sometimes when you write out an apology, you can express yourself differently and more carefully than if you were to speak it off the cuff.
After you have carefully come up with your written apology, practiced it, and worked to understand the situation from their perspective, you can find unique ways to mend the relationship over time.
This may mean you schedule a time to hang out with them and ask them ways they think you can improve. These sorts of questions can help you to avoid falling into the same mistakes that may have led you to break the relationship in the first place. Making a move towards a better you means preparing yourself to make amends. It is time to choose the right time and place to make your move and start the mending process.
There are multiple ways that you can reach out to the people you love to make amends after you've undergone addiction treatment. Individuals can choose to use therapy sessions after recovery to mend broken relationships. NorthStar Transitions understands how difficult it is to mend broken relationships. We care about you and the ones who are affected by the substance use. We can help you set up a comfortable atmosphere to make it easier for you. The non-judgmental and compassionate team here will take the time to listen to your side of the story. If you still struggle with substance use or have difficulties avoiding substance use because of broken relationships, reach out to our team today. NorthStar Transitions believes you can mend the past with the right guidance and methods. You can change your life, and we can be there to help you and guide you along the way. Call us today at (303) 558-6400.
