One of the biggest things to overcome is the fear of how you will adapt to your new life in addiction recovery. Here are the five biggest fears recovering addicts face. When you’re actively addicted, overcoming fear means making the decision to get clean and sober and following through with it. Once you’re no longer abusing substances, you can start overcoming fear that exists in recovery so that you don’t let those fears bring you to use or drink again. The first step is being willing to face your fears.
Find a facility that emphasizes developing individualized plans that meet your particular needs rather than a one-size-fits-all treatment program. And don’t worry, your tastes and style are not actually tied to drugs. You’ll find your way, and you’ll be even more you without substances controlling your mind. This is one of the greatest fears most people have when considering getting sober. It would be fair to say that many alcoholics and addicts love the desired effects of not feeling anything when we are getting high.
The 5 Biggest Fears About Getting Sober
With almost 60 percent of sober people experiencing relapse, it’s no wonder that people are afraid of getting sober. Understanding your fear of getting sober is the first step to conquering it. Once you get a hold on the fears that are driving your hesitation and procrastination, you can begin to see clearly the benefits of getting sober.
If you’re afraid of failing, for example, ask yourself why. Maybe you’re really afraid of not doing well enough in your classes or afraid of not getting a job that pays more. You could be afraid of being honest about your past or your feelings because you’re afraid of your loved ones judging you or abandoning you.
A future free of addiction is in your hands
” I didn’t understand I could decline to answer or that I didn’t have to make sense to everyone. For a period it was, “I’m an alcoholic,” and that tended to silence anyone (for clarification, I no longer identify as an alcoholic). fear of being sober These days, unless I’m feeling generous, I simply say, “I don’t drink,” and leave it at that. It is natural to wonder whether you will be able to complete treatment, especially if you do not have any idea what it entails.
During your individual counseling and group sessions, your emotions may feel overwhelming. That is because you may need to cleanse and purge yourself of years of piled-up negative emotions, memories, and past bad behavior. This emotional cleansing is a necessary part of healing, just as detox is a physical elimination of toxic substances. Once you are in treatment and then in recovery, you will learn how to effectively deal with your emotions, no matter what circumstances arise. Fear of recovery not working and that you will return to use is real. In fact, for many of us returning to use is a reality of recovery.
“I Am Afraid I will Actually Feel Something”
I now have a sense of connection that I previously did not know. Even when I became sober, it still took me a while to begin facing the pain and loss that I had been afraid of. Until I was able to do so, the risk of relapse was high.
- These days, unless I’m feeling generous, I simply say, “I don’t drink,” and leave it at that.
- You’re not obligated to drink just to make others feel good about their drinking.
- Alcohol lowers inhibitions, which allows us to relax.
- Fellowships of other addicts (12 Step or otherwise) can help support you and teach you tactics for overcoming fear.
- Afraid that I would be a failure and not live up to the expectations of what a sober life requires.
In some scenarios, fear can be helpful, but when it actually stops you from making changes that are beneficial, that’s when it becomes a big problem. You may have been using alcohol as a crutch to dull whatever might bother you. What began as a drink here or there after work soon wound up being much more than that, to the point where you could not wait to get home and get drunk. Maybe you even tossed back a few at work, in the car on the way home, or in the morning to get you going. That said, while “recovery” and “sobriety” are different terms, they’re also used interchangeably in some instances. Plus, being in recovery typically involves maintaining sobriety, so the two are somewhat intertwined.