Struggling with addiction recovery is one of the most common struggles among substance abusers. But why? It’s common for addicts to wonder, “Why am I still struggling?” They may feel angry and resentful when they think of their old lives, or when other people say that addiction recovery is possible. But these thoughts are symptoms of a larger issue. Recovering from addiction requires persistence and patience. It requires understanding that many addicts have to deal with a lifetime of mental health issues like anxiety and loneliness behind their addiction, which means it will not just disappear after the first treatment or two. We hope this article will help you address some of the factors that may contribute to your difficulties in addiction recovery.
Reasons Why You Are Struggling with Addiction Recovery
Your Body Has Become Accustomed to Addictive Substances and Behaviors
This is a huge factor in addiction recovery. When your body has become dependent on a substance, or when you have developed behavior patterns that are controlled by the substance, it’s very hard to stop using the substance. This physical dependence means that your body needs something else to help it feel normal without the substance, which is why many treatment programs offer medications like methadone or buprenorphine.
For example, addicts may be using drugs like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamines to help them cope with emotional pain. For example, one of the most common reasons people are dependent on drugs is stress and emotional pain. If you have used drugs to numb your emotional pain, you will experience a great deal of difficulty once you stop using the substance- physically and emotionally.
You Have Not Set up a Support System in Recovery
You cannot move your life forward in recovery if you don’t have some help. Addiction recovery is a long, difficult process, and it’s often lonely. Many people find that they can be more productive by having a supportive friend or family member who goes to meetings or attends activities with them, who listens when they talk and supports them through the tough times. You might not need all the support at once, but you will definitely benefit from having someone there to listen when you need to talk and to cheer you on during the good times.
You Have Not Made Peace with Your Family and Friends
This may be the most difficult step in setting up a solid recovery plan. Many addicts have had their relationships harmed by the substance, or by their lifestyle before they became addicted. Many go through a period of time with their families when they don’t talk to them at all, or when they get into fights and end up hurting each other when they are trying to figure out how to make things right.
You may have told your friends and family that you’re going to try to get healthy and cut back on your use. But you push them away instead because you are so angry at them for not understanding why you started using. It’s really important to make peace with your family, or other people who have been affected by your addiction.
You Have Not Learned How to Deal with Emotion in Normal Life without Substance Use
This is a major obstacle for many addicts who are struggling with recovery. One of the first signs that you have a problem with addiction is the development of an emotional blockage. When you use drugs to try to relieve pain, or when you become so numb that you can’t feel anything, it’s hard to deal with normal emotions in your life, like feeling angry and sad. This means that you will have trouble working through things like thinking about your past relationships, or facing problems at work or school. This is a common problem among addicts who are trying to recover, because they have learned to numb their emotions with drugs or alcohol.
You Have Not Learned That You Can’t Rely on the Substance to Solve All Problems
The clue that you might be addicted and need help is when the substance becomes so important in your life that nothing else matters. You might start using drugs to solve all kinds of problems, or you might use the substance to escape from problems. You keep using more and more of the substance, even though it clearly isn’t solving anything.
At this point, you’re probably not even getting high anymore- you’re just trying to keep your head straight by staying under the influence of the drug. This is a very dangerous place to be in, because there are very few things that can help you at this point. In conclusion, it is possible to move forward in recovery.
If you have struggled with addiction recovery, it’s important to understand where you might have gone wrong. If you don’t understand your struggle, you might be tempted to get discouraged and give up on your recovery plan. Feel free to reach out to our professional counselor to get help on how to deal with your struggle with addiction in recovery. Contact us now at 844-639-8371.