Staying sober in recovery is difficult. You will meet a lot of professional people in your road to recovery, and they will all want to help you. However, it’s not enough for a person struggling with recovery to be told that all they need is more time. It is important that they hear, clearly and honestly, what they need to do to get better. Too often, people in recovery are treated like they have fewer morals than everyone else, and not as if addiction is a disease. Understanding that, and working from that point of view is crucial. Kindness plays the most key role in recovery.
Negative Thought Patterns
A person with addiction probably already has negative thoughts about themselves. Many are also dealing with co-occurring mental health disorders. Chances are, they are grappling with withdrawal too. On top of that, if they have to deal with judgment and negativity which does not aid in their recovery. A little honesty, mixed with empathy is not too much to ask for. It is important, to be honest, tell them how their treatment is progressing, what medications they are on, and what therapies they should expect going forward. It’s not fair to expect them to have blind faith in the doctors and therapists. Yes, doctors and therapists are the experts, but that doesn’t mean they should make the patient feel marginalized. Any patient, has the right to know every detail about their condition and treatment option, regardless of whether that patient is in addiction recovery, or something else.
Tough Love
In many instances, tough love is mistaken for kindness. Tough love usually comes from family and friends, a lot of whom have suffered due to addiction. Plenty of bridges might have been burned, and significant damage done to close relationships, finances, and more. But, if friends and family truly want to help, then pointing fingers and assigning blame is not the way to go. Kindness and compassion in their approach will be far more effective than criticism. Dwelling on past transgressions will only make the person in recovery feel worse about themselves, and it’s not productive when they are trying to move forward. Friends and family can help by learning more about addiction, related disorders, and what to expect in recovery.
When a person with addiction enters recovery for the first time, they have hit the bottom. That is usually when someone decides upon recovery when there is nowhere left to go. So one can imagine that when they have finally reached recovery, they are about as low as they can be. They may be spending a lot of time questioning the poor decisions that led them to this. They know they have ruined some relationships. They might be wondering if they will ever be employed gainfully again. Showing them some warmth and kindness will make them feel accepted, rather than shunned.
A Step in the Right Direction makes it our goal to offer hope and healing to those who come asking for it in treatment. We offer a safe space from judgment or criticism and seek to guide you in finding the best recovery path for your journey. Kindness to yourself is first, in reaching out for help. For more information on sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702.
