Living with integrity takes work and dedication. It is about being honest and having strong moral principles backing up your hard work and persona. When addiction steals your identity, integrity and morals, it can feel like you are living in an upside down world. Learning to live with more integrity can help you heal and restore peace to your life.

Developing Integrity

Integrity is about knowing how to do the right thing. Integrity is something most people (if not all) want, but are not always sure how to get. For people with addiction, it is about restoring what was taken away from you with addiction. One of the best ways to start the process is to take a page out of the 12 step book. When we admit to God, ourselves, and others what we have done wrong, we make an honest admission about what happened while addicted to substances. Falling short of personal standards set for yourself, or set by others, is the beginning of rebuilding integrity. Naming the things that are missing can be a great step to knowing how to hold yourself accountable to becoming more honest and strong in recovery.

Not About Perfection

Integrity is not about moral perfection. Mistakes get made and everyone falls short of the moral standards people set out for themselves but owning those mistakes by fessing up to the is a great way to show humility. It is also ultimately about realizing how much addiction stole and that you will never be perfect, but can strive to grow on the journey. Some of the following are some great tips that can help you develop integrity in recovery:

  • Practice, practice, practice. Get a journal and write down the areas you need work in. this might include personal wrongs, failings, omissions, and slip-ups. This will help internalize integrity principles. Then seek forgiveness and help to reprogram your brain around doing better.
  • Be intentional about getting to know people who practice integrity. Regardless of social circles, we all know one person at least we admire for their personal integrity. Reach out and ask for tips on how to move forward with integrity. This person may be a sponsor or mentor who has earned the right to hear your story.
  • Read books and resources. Self learning is key in recovery. Focus on some writers who talk about building integrity into your life and read biographies of people with integrity.

Addiction does not need to have the last word when it comes to your integrity. You can rebuild it with some resources and tools for the journey. Cultivating integrity is a powerful way of reclaiming your identity.

The Springboard Center’s addiction treatment programs can help you reclaim your personal identity and integrity with our tools and programs designed to support your recovery from addiction. We are able to deal with your addiction from all angles and concentrate on every aspect of your healing process. It is important to recognize that many of our services offer a group setting and environment, so that the client spends time with other people affected by the same chronic disease and problems. 432-620-0255