Getting through a recovery program is tough, just like kicking any habit. But, once you’ve made it out and are free of your addiction, it’s important to make sure the things you learned will last. We’ve already previously recovered some of the things you can do to maintain self-discipline, but we want to encourage you to stay mindful of some of the more introspective factors at play post-recovery.
Lesson 1: Addiction Kills
Many addicts, particularly before going through recovery, will be in denial of one of two things: firstly, that the substance they take is deadly, and secondly, that their life is worth something. It takes a lot of work to help an addict realize either that they are risking their life for their habit, or that, if they’re aware and simply don’t care, their life is worth living. After getting clean of an addiction, we’ve also seen that it’s important to maintain these lessons. Remember – your life is a gift from God, and you were given it for a reason. You may not have found that reason yet, you may have had a false start, but it’s there to be discovered.
Lesson 2: Your Family Is There For You
If you’re a former addict who has been through a recovery program, and you’re beginning to feel anxiety or doubt, or a familiar feeling of isolation, think back to how you ended up getting help. Did you seek it out? Or did your family seek it out for you? If your family staged an intervention or contacted someone for help, that’s proof enough that they’re there for you. The help and support they provided by putting you into a recovery program was vital, and you should always remember the foundation they provide for you.
Lesson 3: Your Addiction Didn’t Help
One of the most important things that any recovery program will teach is that you learn to look past your addiction to find out why it happened. Many addicts and substance abusers do so to numb themselves to internal pain or conflict, but this ultimately doesn’t help. The more you use, the more you need, treating the symptoms without ever curing the sickness. Kicking your habit meant you had to learn what it was you were trying to numb. If you find these feelings cropping up again, now you know better than to seek out alcohol or drugs, or other addictive habits, to hide them. Talk to friends, family, or the professionals who helped you recover.
Lesson 4: You Beat It
One of the most important parts of a true recovery is you. Your own willpower, your own ability to beat your base, mindless urges that got you hooked, and to handle the inner turmoil that comes with getting clean are an incredible gift from God. And you successfully used them to beat a seemingly insurmountable challenge.
Lesson 5: Your Recovery Program and the Guidance of God
The final, most important lesson is that, above all else, the Lord is there to guide you. Through the challenges and obstacles you face as you struggle with your vices, God guides you to strive to improve, to beat your urges and maintain a clean, righteous life once you recover.
