Our struggles with mental health issues and addiction can cause us to totally lose faith in ourselves. We have a very hard time believing in ourselves. We don’t have faith that we can get better. We’ve been so self-destructive all these years that we no longer have faith in the choices we make. We worry we’re doomed to a life of illness and suffering. We lose hope and give up on ourselves. This can be a terrifying feeling. We can feel lost, alone and desperate. How can we regain faith in ourselves?
We can start by recognizing and affirming every positive step we take, and use each one, no matter how small, to build up our faith in ourselves. If we’re so depressed that we’re struggling to get out of bed in the morning, every time you do manage to get up and out of the house, praise and congratulate yourself. Affirm to yourself how strong you are. Become your own best friend, ally and support system. Encouraging ourselves in this way reminds us that we haven’t entirely given up on ourselves.
Show yourself that you have faith in yourself by supporting yourself through your difficulties, whatever they might be. Develop more trust in yourself that you will make healthy decisions. Set the intention, for example, to make good choices for yourself around your sobriety and mental and emotional well-being. Every time you make a choice you’re proud of, congratulate yourself and then remind yourself that it is in fact safe to trust yourself. Everything is unfolding exactly as it should. If you believe in a higher power, remind yourself that you are being guided and protected at all times and that nothing you do, no mistake you make, is too big to recover from. It is safe to trust yourself and to have faith in yourself.
Surround yourself with people who are trustworthy, who encourage you to be good to yourself, and who are similarly committed to making healthy decisions and positive choices. Separate yourself from people who don’t respect and value you, who pressure you to do things you know you’ll regret, who make you question whether or not it’s a good idea to even be around them. Be selective about who you share your space and energy with. Prioritize the people in your life who you feel are positive influences for you, who build you up and motivate you, and who can be part of your support team. The stronger your commitment to your well-being, the more you can stay on the path of wellness and show yourself that you can in fact do what’s best for yourself, the more you will rebuild your faith in yourself.
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.