We often think of recovery as abstaining from our drugs of choice and addictive behaviors. It might serve us to think of our recovery as being deeper than that. Inner peace is the foundation for lasting happiness, and chances are that when we make abstinence our goal without also prioritizing inner peace, we will always experience the inner turmoil and conflict that fuel our addictions.
When we look closely at our addictions and their accompanying mental health issues, we know that they are not just a dependence on substances and behaviors. They are also an attachment to toxic thought patterns and self-destructive limiting beliefs. To heal we have to address these as much as we do the things we’re working to abstain from.
The more we heal our inner turmoil, the easier it is to make healthy choices for ourselves and leave the self-harm behind. We begin to prioritize our wellbeing and to separate ourselves from anything that hinders it. Instinctively we become more self-protective and self-nurturing. It becomes easier to reject the things that once brought us down. How do we heal our inner turmoil?
As we do the important emotional work of soul-searching and self-reflection, we start to uncover the unhealed traumas and unresolved issues that are at the heart of our addictions. We can work to release these by meditating on release and detachment, calm and peace, light, love and forgiveness.
We can accept our pain as part of who we are. By giving it our loving, healing energy, we can incorporate it into the light of our inner power rather than rejecting it and causing ourselves more shame and anguish. We can work with a therapist, spiritual guide or support group to help us process our pain and deepen our understanding. We can journal and create art as therapeutic self-expression and catharsis.
The thought patterns we cling to have been programmed into our subconscious minds after years of disparaging and self-destructive inner dialogue. To reprogram our minds and create new thought patterns, we can write and repeat affirmations. We can use these affirmations to instill new, empowering beliefs that replace the old, self-destructive ones. How would it feel to be free, truly liberated from your inner turmoil? Feel that energy! Visualize yourself feeling a sense of clarity, calm, peace and stillness. Visualize yourself feeling stable, secure, grounded and centered. Affirm “I am at peace within myself. I am healed. I am well.”
Working towards inner peace is an important part of our recovery. Call (800) 871-5440 for information on how we can support you.