What Are Your Trust Issues In Sobriety?

When most of us were getting sober we weren’t the most trusting or trustworthy bunch. It can be hard to trust others or ourselves when we had fallen so far down the scale. When we get sober most of us are used to having to take care of ourselves which doesn’t leave much room for us to learn to trust others or let a higher power into our lives.

Why It’s Hard for A Recovering Alcoholic To Trust

Learning how to trust others can be hard especially for the alcoholic who has a preconceived idea that people are untrustworthy usually as a direct result of our actions while we were out using and struggling with our chemical dependency issues. This lack of ability to trust ourselves and others usually stems from years of dishonest behavior and motives on our part. It is hard to believe that others are to be trusted when not only is our behavior questionable but most of us feel unsafe with ourselves both physically and emotionally as well. 

How A Recovering Addict Can Start To Trust

The only way to restore our faith in ourselves and others is to begin to change the things that need to be changed within ourselves by letting go and attending a 12 step recovery program and cleaning our side of the street up. When we begin to live with integrity, and respect as well as develop our own code of morals then not only will it be easier to trust in others but it will also be easier to handle situations when we are disappointed and feel that we or our fellows are falling short of our ideals. When we go through the 12 steps of recovery we can begin to be free without placing indignant demands upon others.

Dealing With Depression And Laziness In Recovery

Sometimes in recovery when we put down the drink things start coming up for us that didn’t before. We get a new set of feelings that most of us have never dealt with. Over time we might become complacent and lazy with our 12-step work. What happens then is that we can become unmotivated and if we are not careful, we can slip into a depression or even go back to engaging in our chemical dependency.

Challenges In Recovery

This is not uncommon considering the one thing that would act as a lubricant has been taken away from us and all we are left with is ourselves and our thoughts. If we leave things until they get bad then life can begin to seem pretty unbearable. It can seem impossible to do even the littlest tasks. We may find that it even affects our relationships negatively. Most of us become short and irritable.

When We Grow In Recovery

It isn’t usually until we get in enough pain that we begin to change and grow. When the pain we are in is greater than our fear of changing and our laziness then we will do so. When this time comes then there are tools available to us when we are ready.  We do not need to suffer in silence. There are many people that have gone through this and come out the other side.

Stay committed to your 12 step recovery programs, this will help with mental health treatment. If we are willing to share what we are going through with another alcoholic/ addict then we can get the solution on how to handle it. It is through our experience, strength, and hope that we are able to pull ourselves and others out of the darkest places. The fact is that there is going to be highs and lows in life and while pain is inevitable sometimes suffering is optional.

Are You Giving 100% In Your Sobriety?

When we are newly sober, get into a 12 step recovery program, and go through the addiction recovery process, most of us are enthusiastic and excited about our life. We have a willingness to go to any lengths to stay sober and continue our newfound resolve. Most of us come out of our battle with chemical dependency declaring that we will never drink again no matter what! This is great however, the longer we stay sober it is common that while we maintain the same level of willingness most of us lose that level of desperation that we once had.

 

Questions To Ask Yourself In Sobriety

It is imperative that we check in with ourselves and ask if we are giving 100%, and if not, then how much are we putting into our sobriety? Are we skipping meetings when we know we need one? Are we not calling our sponsor and checking in?  How can we go back to giving 100%? What needs to change so that we have the best chance at staying sober? 

Are we being dishonest and keeping secrets? If so how can we change these things in order to improve our sobriety?

If we really desire to keep our sobriety and our willing to go to any lengths to do that then we must stay diligent and do whatever it takes to stay on the path. If we find that we are struggling, there are many ways we can get out of our funk -  from talking to people, to praying and meditating - asking for clarity on how to handle situations and of course seeking God’s will for us.

Staying Sober Through Good Times

The nights of drunken debauchery are over, we received alcohol treatment, and we are finally free from our alcohol addiction. What do we do now? Fun can be had in sobriety; there is a common fear for most people getting sober that living sober can’t be fun. This is nonsense! Having fun in sobriety is definitely possible. There are many options from fellowshipping after a meeting to having a sober get together for a game night to going to events hosted by sober companies. You just have to find good people who are interested in the same things you are.

 

Do What You Truly Enjoy

Now that you’re sober, trying new things can help you figure out what the real you actually likes to do. Want a good mellow night? Go to a local coffee house and play a game of cards with some friends.  There are several sober companies that host events that you can go too. Also, there are young people’s committees that take the time to plan and host events for you and your friends to go to. Getting involved in the addiction recovery process can also be a great way to meet like-minded people that are sober as well. We didn’t get sober to simply exist. We got sober to live life which includes cutting loose, having fun and make great memories. Make a list of things you’ve always wanted to try and cross some things off your bucket list. Enjoy every moment. Sobriety isn’t meant to be an end to having fun it’s supposed to be the beginning of living life to the fullest.

Worrying About the Future in Sobriety

What will the weather look like in 5 years? What about the exact moment you will find your dream job? What happens if you end up not getting that job and all of a sudden you find yourself in a financial mishap? Future tripping is a tendency that the alcoholic has mastered. One thought turns into a whole script for our future that we have written in our heads that causes us to panic and live in fear. Combine that with high anxiety and a fear of failure and you have a recipe for disaster. The future is not something we can predict as much as we think we can. Through going to a 12 step recovery program we are given tools to help us stay present. Prayer and meditation are two big tools we learn through the 12 steps of recovery that can help keep us grounded. Sometimes just standing still, and asking yourself “am I present or am I living in the future?” can help us stay present in the moment.

 

Redirecting Focus

If you find that you are living in the future it can beneficial to redirect your focus to the present moment. If you are consciously reminding yourself what you are doing in the moment, you’re not worrying about the future. Another way to stay present is doing relaxing and meditating exercises like yoga. Movement and focusing on your breathing is not only a good way to exercise, but it’s also a way to get some serenity and stay grounded. The future hasn’t happened yet, and we can only control our present actions. Live in the moment, because in the future when we look back on our lives all we will have are the memories we are creating today.

Dealing With Stress in Sobriety

Just because we get alcohol addiction help and get sober does not mean that everything is perfect. It just means that we finally have tools to deal with things as they come up. In sobriety there are a number of things that can come up, from your car not starting when you’re running 20 minutes late, to a job interview, to your bank account being over drafted. Life can throw you curve balls. There will be times when you’ll want to rip your hair out or dwell on “what ifs”. Without the alcohol to calm the storm, what now? How do you deal with life’s ways of surprising you?

 

Relaxing During Stressful Times

Sometimes just breathing, sitting down, putting pen to paper and venting will relieve some of that tension. Get yourself to a meeting, and share about what’s going on. There will be someone there who is going through what you are, or has gone through it and can give you a different perspective.

Don’t be So Tough on Yourself

Stress is our reaction to being overwhelmed.  Pick something that makes you happy that you may or may not have done in a while and do it!  As alcoholics our minds are constantly racing. We can be our toughest critic. When we go through a 12 step recovery program we are given everything we need to be able to stay calm, cool, and collected in every situation. Through the 12 steps of recovery we can begin to deal with stressful situations while maintaining a sense of peace, and serenity.

Replacing One Addiction with Another

It is common for an addict to replace one addiction with another after going to an addiction treatment program, and getting sober and receiving treatment for substance abuse. A lot of times what happens is that we get recovery from our alcohol or drug addiction but we are still looking for something to act as a buffer between us and our feelings. These things can include but are not limited to smoking, sex, working, coffee, relationships, or shopping. As addicts we are used to seeking out elevated moods and trying to find external things to make us feel better, sometimes without even realizing it.

Developing Healthy Relationships

We sometimes forget that if we take care and continue to work on ourselves that the rest will fall into place. When we are centered and living life on life’s terms then we no longer need things to “fix” us. We can begin to develop healthy relationships with people, places, and things instead of relying on faulty emotional dependencies to make things better. When we are able to connect with our higher power we find that over time regardless of what comes up for us we can approach it with a sense of peace and serenity that most of us didn’t know was possible until we entered into recovery. When this happens we can begin to let go of the people, places, and things that are unhealthy and that no longer work for us. We can be free and we can live our lives without having to be addicted to anything!

Finding Work in Sobriety is Possible - How to Get Ahead

In this day and age it can be hard enough to find a job let alone admit we have a problem with alcohol addiction, decide to get sober, receive alcohol addiction help, and gain recovery from alcoholism on top of looking for employment. For many of us the search can seem exhausting. We can become easily discouraged when we don’t get an interview or a job offer. The fact is, now that we are sober we need to suit up and show up for life regardless of the outcome. We can do the things that we set out to do and reap the benefits. We never know what opportunities might present themselves if we are present and follow-through with the goals we make with ourselves and others.

One Day at a Time

It is understandable if you feel overwhelmed by the idea of having to go on a job search. We can take everything one day at a time and sometimes even one minute at a time. We don’t need to worry about the future. It can be easier for us in all areas of our recovery if we take everything step by step. If you are having a hard time writing a resume, cover letter, finding places, or with the interviewing process, just know that there are plenty of people in recovery that have gone through the same thing. Perhaps talking to people who have experience with the anxiety, difficulties, or fears of job hunting and asking them how they got through it can help. If we have people that are able to share their experience, strength, and hope then the idea of finding a job can begin to seem much more doable. Now go out there and start a path to your future!

Being Honest in Sobriety

It is important that once we get sober and receive drug abuse help that we live our lives with honesty and respect for ourselves and others. It is easy when we are in the middle of our drug addiction to brush off the importance of telling the truth. The fact is that most of us would have said or did anything in order to get our next fix but we don’t have to live like that anymore. We get to show up for life and live with integrity. While it may be difficult at times to be honest with others it is imperative that we are honest and forthcoming unless of course it will injure someone in the process. When we go through the 12 steps of recovery we learn that we do not get to harm others in order to make ourselves feel better. This would just add to the already existing wreckage. If the opportunity presents itself we get to come clean and make amends for our behavior. When we are honest with ourselves and others regardless of fear or possible consequences there is a huge weight lifted off our shoulders as a result. We get to carry ourselves with grace and dignity, feel comfortable in our own skin, and we get to walk around with our head held high knowing that we are living by spiritual principles and are doing the best we can.