How Do I Manage Loss of Motivation in Recovery?

Instead, they have the skills necessary to deal with whatever life brings. To combat these feelings, try to remove yourself from the triggering situation. If a song is playing, turn the radio off, if you get a text from an old friend with whom you used to use substances, consider blocking the number. Of course, not every trigger can be avoided but coping with your life being different can help you build a new life filled with less painful reminders from the past. Deciding to enter addiction treatment is never an easy decision.

Above all, take it one day at a time, and don’t forget to celebrate small milestones. Battling addiction can leave you feeling isolated and alienated from your loved ones. Doing volunteer work is a great way to reconnect with the community and rebuild your confidence levels. You can teach kids at a shelter home, volunteer https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-tips-of-how-to-maintain-recovery-motivation/ at an animal shelter, or guide other patients on the path of sobriety at support group meetings. Learning to “live life on life’s terms” in sobriety means knowing that you will experience good days and bad days. Motivation for your recovery cannot be tied to a reactive state based on moods and circumstances.

Motivation to maintain sobriety among residents of sober living recovery homes

But the other part of me was like, wow, they’re showing they care for me …. Everything on your face shows terror, anger and fear, and we just want to go with you … that’s what sober living is all about … I thought that things were okay that day but clearly I was not okay. One of the participants gave an example from her own recovery experience in a SLH. Suddenly, she was surrounded by her peers who stated they were going with her. Serenity is closely related to emotional sobriety but can take much longer to develop. A goal of 12-Step programs, serenity, is a stage of recovery where you can handle anything that happens throughout your life without inner turmoil.

Several participants thought perceived costs of sobriety were more prevalent in early recovery. Sometimes, in active addiction, we do things we aren’t proud of. We may have hurt the ones we love, do things we are ashamed of, and caused harm to ourselves. Although you may have gotten substance abuse treatment and are… If you came into recovery with all pistons firing, you could quickly run out of steam. You find it easy to stay sober and, in so doing, you take your sobriety for granted.

Find Balance in Your Life

When the pink cloud goes away, you crash down to earth, and you can become disenchanted when you discover that staying sober takes work. When you start thinking of all the things that have gone wrong in your life, it’s time to be grateful for all the positive things that have happened to you. Make a list of all the things that are good, no matter what they are. You can be grateful that your bed is comfortable or that at least you have a bed.

• Overcoming addiction is hard and the decision to pursue recovery as well as stay motivated is personal.
• Talk to your therapist, other healthcare provider, or sponsor about how to deal with your anger in ways that won’t cause you to harm yourself or others or turn to alcohol or drugs.
• Below we’ll explore some actions you can take to reinvigorate your recovery and rebuild your life in sobriety.
• A significant event or compilation of events most likely caused you to make that decision and choose life.
• This might be through reading a religious text, mediating, or attending a religious gathering.

They become willing to come get them and take them out to eat or go to shopping or come home for the weekend. It’s essential to set realistic goals that are achievable both short-term and long-term. If you set unrealistic expectations for yourself, it may leave room for disappointment and could lead to frustration or relapse. Make sure your goals are measurable so that you can track your progress during recovery as well as celebrate successes along the way. It can be fun and relaxing to go out for drinks with your friends on Friday nights after a long work week or have a cocktail before bed. Many people drink alcohol and do so regularly, but how do you know when your drinking has become a problem?

Top Things to Remember in Addiction Recovery

No matter how serious the condition, lifelong recovery from addiction is possible for everyone. However, finding motivation for change can be tough, especially when overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, and real-life obligations. So, if you or a loved one is struggling with finding motivation for addiction recovery, San Antonio Recovery Center’s motivational enhancement therapy can work wonders for your mental and physical health. When someone with substance use disorder becomes sober or first gets out of rehab, there’s a lot of excitement even when they know there is a hard road in front of them.

Inspiration is to long-term sobriety as rocket fuel is to a moon launch. Staying inspired propels us forward, directing us toward a specific target or goal, namely a successful, long-term recovery. Getting enough sleep, but not too much, is essential to staying on track. Serving others and giving back to the community can connect you to a larger purpose in life. You will be reminded that you now have the privilege to serve others in need because of all the work you have put in. This helps you adjust your perspective and not take your sobriety for granted.

As the recovery process proceeded, they felt many persons were more discerning about whom they identified as a member of their social network. In general, it was felt to be more important to have strong relationships with a fewer number of persons than superficial connections with many. Several house manager participants characterized life in a SLH as a family and that may be part of the reason household relationships can serve as important motivators.

And you know if we can get the parents to pull the cash away from them, then that becomes a very real fear and then you are motivated because it’s either there or the street. Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) is a specialized counseling approach that aims to inspire internal motivation in the client. Just because you’re not steadily walking down the road, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to get to the end, and it doesn’t mean you haven’t crossed the same amount of road to get to where you are. Don’t disregard all your previous achievements and beat yourself up for getting off-track.

Motivation Gives You the Desire to Change.

Whether you hit a breaking point or just became “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” as the saying goes, you made the decision to stop using or drinking. List the reasons in your head, on paper, or to another person as many times as you need to for them all to sink in. Volunteering can help you to pull away from the narrow focus on yourself and redirect it to something (or someone) else that will benefit from your time and attention.

However, knowing the benefits such as living a longer life, being healthier, and finding happiness can be enough to motivate you to continue and maintain your recovery. If you have unhealthy people in your life, your schedule can also help you to maintain your personal boundaries. It’s vital that you attend to what’s important and avoid putting your needs on the back burner for the sake of “helping” others. A schedule will ensure that you avoid distractions, meet your daily responsibilities, and remain focused on your sobriety. You’ll discover many reasons you want to be sober on your recovery journey. Initially, it might simply be because you’re done living the way you did before sobriety.

Substance Abuse Programs

Seek out books, testimonies, blogs, and anything else you can find from both experts and those who have experienced victory over similar struggles. You may find several inspirational quotes or helpful mantras that will carry you through the difficult times. When you make your own decision to seek recovery, you may find that your life post-recovery starts to look a lot different. If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. Substance abuse has a number of social, financial and health consequences.

• You may feel like you are stuck in the same routines, have less friends than you used to, or are struggling to find a purpose.
• In fact, with a record of what you’ve been up to, you might find that you have drastically changed in just a few months, which is nothing short of amazing.
• Without motivation, your recovery is likely to stall, and you might even relapse into substance abuse again.
• This involves looking inside, remembering why you chose to embark down this path, and fulfilling your personal goals by never losing faith in yourself.
• Motivation has rarely been studied outside the context of formal treatment programs, and it has usually been studied in terms of desire to stop or cut down substance use.

In this phase, they are also more likely to deny that they even have an alcohol problem. Getting through the pre-contemplation stage requires the individual to recognize that they may have an alcohol problem and acknowledge the need to change their drinking habits. If any area of your life is out of control, it will not help you maintain lasting sobriety.