When you’re in recovery following an addiction to drugs or alcohol, in order to move forward with your life in a honest, healthy way, you have to learn to let go of your past. All of your choices, behaviors, what you said and what you did, as truly terrible as some of those things may have been, they’re just that: in the past. Nothing you do or say about it could possibly change it now, and if you continually beat yourself up about it, the only thing you’ll accomplish is that you’ll push yourself into a darker place. Your past doesn’t need to define your future, and letting go of what you’ve done to move forward is key. This can be extremely difficult, however. Just because we’re at a point in our recovery that we feel we can forgive ourselves and try to move forward doesn’t mean the people around us are.

People who battle addiction often do and say horrible things to family and friends in order to get money or drugs. The effects of withdrawal or the substances themselves can cause people to lash out when they normally would have shown restraint. Addiction can cause rifts within families that last for decades, and it can shatter lifelong friendships. The people we love the most are often the most affected during addiction, and when the dust has settled after we begin treatment, they’re often left to pick up the pieces alone. This tends to make people bitter, and bitterness can linger for years.

If your friends or family are struggling to let go of the past, they have every right. Your actions and choices, while they are yours, affect the people around you in ways you may not even be aware of, and they have a right to feel hurt and angry over what’s happened. When you find that they are unwilling to even talk things out, or attempt to communicate how they feel, you may need to respect that, and give them time.

As hard as it can be, you can’t force people to move on before they’re ready. You have to give them time, and wait. Some people may never be able to move on, and there’s nothing you can do about that. Learning to let go of the fact that some people may never let go will help set you free.

At The Springboard Center, we know that you and your family need a treatment provider you can trust. Incorporating the best of practices we have created a meaningful program to restore health and dignity with quality care and counseling. Call us today for information on how we are serving the Permian Basin: (432) 620-0255