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Whether it’s a result of their addiction or a precursor, many drug addicts and alcoholics suffer from low self-esteem. They may feel worthless, lost, and even angry at themselves because of their actions. Even after undergoing medical detox and addiction treatment, it’s difficult to improve one’s self-esteem. As a luxury drug and alcohol rehab in Palm Beach that’s helped numerous individuals get sober, we understand that rebuilding your self-esteem in addiction recovery can take time. Therefore, we’re sharing some tips for building self-esteem after addiction that can help.
Addiction & Self-Esteem
Addiction and self-esteem can be closely linked. Low self-esteem can make it more likely that the individual will turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with negative feelings, and addiction can further damage an individual’s self-esteem.
People with low self-esteem often struggle with feelings of worthlessness and insecurity and may turn to drugs, alcohol, or other addictive behaviors to cope with these feelings. The temporary relief provided by an addictive substance or behavior can further reinforce the addiction and create a harmful cycle of dependence.
On the other hand, substance abuse can damage an individual’s self-esteem by causing them to feel ashamed, guilty, or powerless over their behavior. These negative feelings can further reinforce the addiction and make it even more difficult to break free from the cycle.
It’s important to address both addiction and low self-esteem in the recovery process. Behavioral therapy and support groups can be helpful in addressing underlying issues that could contribute to low self-esteem, while drug and alcohol treatment can provide the tools and support needed to break free from addictive behaviors.
Tips for Building Self-Esteem in Addiction Recovery
Drugs and alcohol may have been a crutch when you were an addict, but now you are left to stand on your own two feet. This can be overwhelming and intimidating, but it’s imperative to your sobriety that you do it. Low self-esteem can cause old habits to resurface and lead to relapse, but this doesn’t have to be you. Below are some helpful tips for building self-esteem in addiction recovery that could help you get on the right track and feel confident in your ability to remain abstinent from drugs and alcohol.
Surround Yourself With the Right People
For the sake of your sobriety as well as your self-esteem, it’s important to surround yourself with the right people. You want to be with people who support you and encourage you throughout this process. Remove any toxic relationships from your life that leave you feeling worthless or empty. When you see that the people around you value and support you, you will be able to love and believe in yourself more easily.
Be Positive
Many addicts struggle with negativity. They let negative thoughts weigh them down, and this constant negativity leads to low self-esteem. During your time in rehab, you may have undergone therapies to help you learn how to break down these negative thought patterns, but old habits die hard. Building self-esteem in recovery involves continuing to apply what you learned now that you are done with treatment. This means making a conscious effort to be more positive and trying to find the bright side of things when they seem bleak.
Take Care of Yourself
One of the worst things about addiction is that it can greatly impact a person’s physical and mental well-being. It also makes things like keeping up with personal hygiene and practicing self-care difficult. When your addiction leaves you with poor physical health, a neglected physical appearance, dwindling mental health, and a series of self-destructive habits, it’s natural for your self-esteem to be impacted.
Now that you are in recovery, it’s time to heal from substance use. Practicing healthy habits like exercising, eating healthy, managing personal hygiene, practicing mindfulness, and getting into a good sleep routine can not only help with the healing process but also drastically boost your self-esteem as you start to see and feel these changes.
Move Beyond the Past
While it’s important to confront your past, it’s also important not to dwell on it. You may have done some horrible things while you were an addict, but now you need to focus on making amends for these wrongdoings and moving forward. Concentrating on your past mistakes can kill your self-esteem. Instead, try to focus on the progress you have already made and your hopes for the future. When you can forgive yourself and move forward, you will find that your self-esteem naturally improves.
Work on Loving Yourself
You have come a long way since before getting sober, but you may not have taken the time to appreciate your progress and give yourself a pat on the back. One of the best ways to build self-esteem in recovery is to work on your self-love. Regular positive affirmations are a good place to start. Take a few minutes each day to tell yourself what you love about yourself or to reflect on something you did well. Stop with negative self-talk. When you come to love yourself, your self-esteem will naturally improve.
Go to Therapy
Even if you underwent dual diagnosis treatment, mental health is a fluid concept, and managing it is a constant journey. If you find yourself struggling to build self-esteem in recovery, it may be worth seeing a professional for help. Therapy is great for fine-tuning your mental health and self-improvement. A trained therapist may be able to help you find insight into your self-esteem problems that you overlooked before.
Be Patient
Even if you practice everything above, you will not see drastic improvements overnight. You cannot snap your fingers and suddenly possess great self-confidence. Building self-esteem in addiction recovery takes time. It’s important to be patient with yourself and to recognize the positive changes that you are making along the way. When you give yourself the time to make these improvements without all the pressure, you will find yourself making faster progress.
Begin Your Recovery Today
Self-esteem is just one aspect of the recovery process. At our luxury drug and alcohol rehab in South Florida, we help patients tackle several different aspects of the recovery journey so that they can find comprehensive healing and lasting sobriety. If you or a loved one are ready to begin the journey to a better life, reach out to us today.
Call Seaside Palm Beach at 561-677-9374 or send us your contact information to learn more about our addiction and mental health treatment in Palm Beach.
Related Reading:
Social Media & Addiction Recovery: How It Can Help
Finding Purpose in Your Recovery
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