The first few days when you leave treatment for addiction to drugs or alcohol can be an incredibly uplifting experience, but many people find that those days fade into weeks or even months of anxiety, depression and any number of other negative emotions that leave a person just feeling defeated. When we’re feeling crummy about ourselves, it’s hard to view any aspect of life in a good light, and the negativity simply continues to compound the problem until you may even possibly find yourself struggling not to relapse. As corny as it may sound, there is a lot of power in being positive, and we’ve gathered some tips that may help you start to turn around your perspective.

  1. Be grateful that you’re alive – addiction is an extremely deadly disease that kills people in a huge variety of ways, from slowly poisoning them to overdose to mental health disorders that lead to suicide. Addiction can be deadly, but you got out alive. Slow down and appreciate life a little more.
  2. Remember that it’s a process- Recovery won’t be easy overnight. It takes work and time invested in sober living, and almost everyone who’s struggled with addiction finds themselves struggling with cravings, relapse or other issues at some point. Be patient with yourself.
  3. Don’t focus on the rain – Sometimes, people leave treatment and return to their lives, only to find an equally difficult situation facing them. Perhaps their spouse left, or they’re having financial troubles. Your life likely didn’t fall apart all at once overnight, and you can’t expect it to be pieced back overnight, so don’t focus on the gloom, and focus on what’s going right in your life instead.

You are what you eat, and you are what you think. Being positive, even in a less-than-ideal situation, puts you in the mindframe to look for the good, rather than focusing on the bad. It’s important to remember that in addition to being positive, one must always be realistic, but even in the worst moments, there’s almost always something good for you to focus on.

 

 

 

 

If you’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, it’s completely normal to feel like you’re just drowning in negativity. The Springboard Center is ready to help pull you out of the gloom and help you rebuild your life, even when it seems dire. Don’t let addiction control you another day, make the call today: 432-620-0255.