In order to heal ourselves as we’re recovering from addiction and mental illness, we want to repair the disconnectedness we feel in our lives that has greatly contributed to our addictive patterns. We want to reconnect with our inner selves, our internal guidance systems and our intuition. We want to reconnect with our sense of self, our identity and our purpose. We want to remember who we are, what we love about life, and what makes us happy. Similarly, we want to be able to reconnect with our loved ones, and with our higher power.
When we’re disconnected from the truth of who we are, and from the people we love, we’re also disconnected from our higher power, because this power resides within us and within our loved ones. We are human manifestations of this loving power. Being disconnected from it means we’re separated from this divine flow of love. When we’re disconnected, we stop loving and appreciating ourselves. We feel lost and alone. We fall into patterns of self-rejection where we’re attempting to suppress entire parts of ourselves, usually the parts of ourselves we deem bad or unacceptable. When we’re traumatized, we often internalize our trauma to be a reflection of our perceived inadequacy. We see ourselves as shameful and immoral. We try to hide these parts, our difficult thoughts and emotions, our feelings of insecurity, shame and fear. We bury them deep down where we think no one will discover them. We disconnect from feeling our true emotions. We disconnect from our inner selves. How can we reconnect?
Take time to be alone with yourself, without the usual distractions, without the TV, without texting, without social media. Be alone with your thoughts and feelings. Make note of what comes up for you when you stop resisting, when you stop running, hiding, burying and suppressing. How do you feel about yourself when you’re sober, when you’re not numbing yourself or self-medicating? Confronting ourselves with no filter, with nothing to ease the pain, can feel daunting and intimidating. We can feel overwhelmed, scared, even panic-stricken. Sit with any emotions that come up for you. Let their energy move through you rather than allowing it to remain stuck by fighting and resisting it, which causes us more pain.
Consider starting a regular journaling practice to help you release and process all of the emotions that arise. This emotional information is invaluable. It can teach us what areas of ourselves still need healing, and if we follow our intuition, it will tell us what we need in order to heal. Explore therapy, support groups, and working with a sponsor. Try meditation, yoga and energy healing. Give creative expression such as songwriting or poetry a try. All of these practices are methods of reconnecting with self.
When we reconnect with our inner selves, we rebuild our self-love and self-worth. We make it possible to heal ourselves. We empower ourselves in our recovery.
Your new life starts today. Let Riverside Recovery be your support system as you do the work to heal. Call (800) 871-5440 for more information on our addiction recovery treatment programs.