Have you been in recovery for a while? Do you feel you've lost your motivation or have difficulty finding new ways to maintain sobriety? Perhaps you are losing hope in the recovery process. Losing hope, though discouraging, happens a lot. Individuals in long-term recovery can struggle with motivation and lose hope in their journey.
When this happens, it is vital not to let discouraged thoughts or feelings overtake you. Instead, you must work hard to stay positive. Finding the silver linings and reminding yourself why you sought a life of sobriety for yourself in the first place is vital.
Looking for the silver lining is easier said than done, but you can prepare for hard times and losing hope to some degree. It is not an exact science, but you can take steps to regain your hope and restore confidence in your recovery journey today.
The idea of losing hope is daunting. At times, recovery can feel like it is all or nothing. However, doubting your journey, questioning things, and losing hope is normal. People begin doubting themselves for many reasons. Whether you're struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), other mental health conditions, or both, it's okay to be in this space.
Anyone dealing with a mental health condition — whether anxiety, depression, or addiction — knows how challenging it can be to get out of their heads. Mental health conditions plant seeds of doubt that may cause you to question everything. Is therapy really helping? Are intrusive thoughts and cravings manageable? Why do you have to have this condition? You may have asked yourself similar questions at times. While there are no exact answers, there are ways to push these intrusive thoughts away and regain your hope.
Perhaps you tend to lose hope when thinking about the future. Addiction is a lifelong illness that has no cure, which can be a discouraging thought. Trying to maintain sobriety for the rest of your life can seem exhausting. That is why, in recovery, it's best to focus on what you can do now. To preserve your sobriety, you have to focus on the present moment. Sometimes that moment means getting through the next week, sometimes just the next five minutes.
Another reason you may be losing hope in recovery is relapsing. Relapses occur for many different reasons. While you can plan to prevent relapses, they may still be a reality of your condition. The key is not seeing them as failures.
A relapse may indicate that you need to strengthen areas of your recovery; they do not mean your sobriety has failed. Focus on returning from relapse having learned about yourself. Don't criticize yourself because it happened. No matter how hard it is, understand that a relapse is not a cause to lose hope.
Regaining hope in long-term sobriety is not an exact science. Many people assume that early sobriety is the most challenging period, but that is not always the case. Knowing what to do when losing hope is critical, no matter how long you've been on this journey.
The first thing to do when you start losing hope is to remind yourself of how far you have come. Addiction recovery is not an overnight process; it is a lifelong commitment. Acknowledging how far you have come is the first step in staying motivated to carry on. You can do this by monitoring your progress, tracking your goals, and continuing to set new aspirations for yourself.
The next thing you can do is discuss concerns and doubts with your support network. Who better to seek advice from than people going through a similar experience? Reach out to a sponsor, accountability partner, or peer worker when you're losing hope. They can be a sounding board, offer advice from their experiences, and check in on you as you rediscover your hope for recovery.
Another helpful way to stay motivated and maintain hope is to recall why you sought treatment initially. Whether you began your journey to improve your health, restore relationships with family and friends, or some other reason, let that fuel your fire for sobriety. Stay connected with your loved ones. They are living, walking, and talking reminders of why you chose a life free of addiction.
Self-care is another excellent way to regain hope. Nourishing your mind, body, and soul improves overall well-being. To care for your mental health and live free of addiction, you must care for your whole being. This will help reduce doubts and fears and allow you to focus on what matters — living your life and staying sober.
No one said the journey would be easy, but it is worth it. Do whatever you must to keep hope in your journey and fight for your life of recovery today.
The road to recovery is long and trying but always worth it. Many think early recovery is the most challenging part of their journey, and in many ways, it is. However, long-term recovery can be just as hard, especially if you start losing motivation or hope in the journey. Losing hope is more common than you may realize. You may begin to question yourself, your path, and even why you fight to stay sober. Nevertheless, you can take steps toward regaining your hope and rediscovering the motivation to continue staying sober long-term. NorthStar Transitions can help you if you are struggling to remain hopeful in your recovery journey. Call (303) 558-6400 to learn how today.
