Learn to be your own cheerleader by affirming your positive qualities. Remind yourself of the good decisions you have made, like entering treatment to fight your addiction. Take one day at a time — One of the most popular sayings in recovery circles is “Keep it simple.” Addiction and recovery can be complicated with overlapping issues and conflicting emotions. A lasting recovery from addiction is a huge goal that can only be attained by breaking it down into smaller daily steps. Take one day at a time and the big picture will take care of itself. Dishonesty — Lies and secrets come with the territory of addiction.

• Overcoming addiction is hard and the decision to pursue recovery as well as stay motivated is personal.
• During abstinence, when a person quits using the drug they are addicted to, the brain shifts and readjusts.
• It is easy to romanticize the life you once lived while using substances.
• Often an event, like a drug-induced temporary psychosis (i.e. bad trip), an overdose, or a severe hangover will motivate you to seek help.
• Stick the list to your mirror, write a letter to yourself, or make the list your phone’s home screen.
• You will gain the confidence to stay on the path of recovery and be better for it in the long run.

There is no easy trick to staying motivated, but some of the following strategies might help. Recovery as a whole can be overwhelming for someone that is just starting. The challenges in early recovery can cause you to doubt yourself and think that you cannot do it. A way to overcome this feeling is to set recovery motivation specific, attainable goals in a reasonable amount of time. For example, an achievable goal in early recovery is to stay for the entire program a treatment center offers. Staying for an entire program allows you to receive the full benefits that treatment offers while also creating a commitment to yourself.

Staying Motivated While in Recovery from Substance Abuse

The fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous is not only a testament to the Twelve Steps, but also a place where people who feel the same way can come together. We are told to detach from the problem, not from the suffering alcoholic. I will make this day a happy one, for I alone can determine what kind of day it will be. This choice sets the stage for us to ask for what we need, respond rather than react and hold boundaries without guilt.

In a way, motivation is something that must be maintained by everyone involved in the recovery process. Or, that they still need a motivating factor to stay sober. During addiction recovery, you will face a new life without the burden of drugs and alcohol. While a clean, healthy lifestyle will dramatically improve your overall quality of life, it isn’t always easy. Breaking free of your addiction takes dedication and a strong will and, at times, it can seem like you’ll never escape its grasp. However, one of the best ways to beat addiction and to keep yourself on track is to remain motivated.

Finding Motivation During Addiction Recovery

One key to serenity in your life is dependent upon the ability to determine what you can and cannot change. We must learn to respect the boundaries of others, and in that process, to be aware that they are making choices based on their own freedom.

In many ways, this time it is about being open to experimenting and trying out new things in order to learn and grow as a person. Motivational strategies primarily involve helping participants see how learning information and skills will help them achieve their short- and long-term goals. Developing motivation for learning information and skills is an ongoing and collaborative process.

How Do You Protect Yourself With a Family History of Addiction?

You can achieve a sense of relief by releasing events and emotions you may not yet be ready to discuss with your counselor. Such a counselor can help a client zero in on their “desire, ability, reasons, and need to change” to see clearly why they’re entering recovery. They can also help patients identify behaviors that don’t line up with their goals so they can take steps toward course correcting.

If someone acts because they feel it is the healthy or right thing to do, they are driven by intrinsic motivation. When someone does something based on external factors or to pursue a reward of some sort, they have experienced extrinsic motivation.

The Pros and Cons of Caffeine in Addiction Recovery

The most widely known and used way to connect with other people dealing with the same things you are is through recovery meetings. These can be found almost anywhere and is a good source to stay motivated and immersed in your recovery. Remember to take some time off every day to do something you enjoy. It can be easy to get caught up in everyday life’s busy routines, but if we don’t center ourselves and do things we enjoy, we can easily get overwhelmed and stressed out. Something as simple as reading, journaling, meditating, praying, or exercise can give you relief and meaning during your journey to recovery. Without motivation, you will stay in the same place or go back to where you were in your addiction.

They do this by carefully evaluating the pros and cons of change versus no change . As we will see in the treatment section, this is exactly what people do who recover on their own. They weigh out the costs and benefits of their addiction. They decide they will change because continuing simply isn’t worth the price. Studies show that people with more intrinsic motivation for overcoming addiction are most likely to succeed in recovery.

Schizoaffective Disorder and Substance Abuse: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment

You might even have a desire to share your writings or videos with others who are struggling (—which would be service work!). Create structure — Addiction creates chaos, so developing structure in your life will help maintain a sense of order when life seems https://ecosoberhouse.com/ overwhelming. Overcoming addiction is about changing behaviors, and change is never easy. The best way to modify an unhealthy behavior is to replace it with a better one. By creating and sticking to a schedule of new healthy habits, you can manage each day.

When an intrusive thought pops in, try reminding yourself how silly that thought was. When we break down the cycle of addiction, we can see how the three parts of this disease lead into our sprees, consequences, and resolutions.