Our addictions and mental health issues are constantly feeding us fear-based stories about ourselves, about who we are and what we’re capable of. One of the lies they tell us is that recovery is impossible. We believe we’re too weak, too far gone, too addicted to heal. We feel we’ve made too many mistakes to redeem ourselves. When we’re in the thick of it, we can’t see our way out. As we work to extricate ourselves from our self-destructive cycles, let’s try to hold out hope that recovery is possible.
Some of us know people who are successfully and happily in recovery. We have real life examples to look to for hope and inspiration. Many of us don’t have these examples in our lives. Even when we do, we might think that recovery is for them but not for us, that recovery is for the lucky, or the strong, or for the people who haven’t destroyed their lives the way we have.
The truth is that recovery is possible for anyone, no matter how many mistakes you’ve made, no matter how far you’ve fallen. Recovery is actually what we want for ourselves, even when we don’t know it. Deep down, underneath all the drugs and sex and self-destruction, what we really want is to be happy, whole, loved and accepted. We want to feel worthy. We want to know we’re good enough. Your inner power knows you are already worthy, regardless of your past history, mistakes, choices and bad decisions. Your inner power wants you to heal. Recovery is about aligning with that inner power and making the crucial choice that you want inner peace, that you want to shed the limiting beliefs and self-sabotage. Everyone has this inner power, and anyone can align with it. The first step is believing.
Start to question all the beliefs you’ve held about yourself and about recovery. You might have come to believe that recovery is only for wealthy people who can afford expensive treatment programs. You might have told yourself that you are too messed up, too deep in your illness, too far past hope to recover. Start affirming that “Recovery is possible for me. I am strong, brave and powerful. I can make my dream of recovery come true. I deserve peace. I am worthy of self-love and self-respect.” The more we can create empowering beliefs for ourselves around recovery, the more we can get our minds on our side. This is crucial for having faith in the recovery process and for encouraging ourselves along the way.
Recovery can feel impossible, but so many of us are living proof that it is in fact possible. Call (800) 871-5440 for more information.