Those who have struggled with addiction and go through recovery experience lots of emotions. Feeling guilt and shame after struggling with an addiction is common for many people. Since recovery is difficult and isn’t linear, some individuals may feel shame if they falter on their journey. If you are feeling shame and guilt, there are ways to overcome these emotions while moving forward with hope.
Understanding Guilt And Shame
Before you can tackle your emotions, it can be helpful to better understand what they mean and how they make you feel. Guilt and shame are two emotions that are used interchangeably. The key difference is that guilt involves feelings and judgments about past actions, whereas shame involves feelings and judgments about who you are.
People feel guilty for their past mistakes or those who they may have hurt. Shame is a self-reflection and may include thoughts like “I am a bad person,” or “I’m worthless.” Shame could make us feel unworthy of love or respect. These feelings can impede your progress if you let them control your life.
1- Acknowledge Your Emotions
Ignoring your feelings and emotions is not the best way to heal from them. Acknowledging what you feel and working to understand how it affects your daily processes will help you heal. Recognize that you can feel these emotions and others will not judge you. Often the intrusive thoughts that come with shame are not facts.
Acknowledging emotions can be done by journaling about them and dumping all of your feelings onto a page, or speaking with a trusted individual. Therapy might also be helpful if you want to reframe the feelings around your addiction.
2- Seek Support From Others
Those in recovery often seek the help of support groups, therapists, or accountability partners. Seeking moral support from other people can help reduce the thoughts of shame around your healing journey. Recovery support groups will help you hear other stories from those who are in the thick of addiction recovery. These chats can help everyone feel less alone while allowing you to learn about methods that work for others. Support from friends and family may not always be helpful, so it is ok to seek advice from a therapist or sponsor as well.
3- Focus On Personal Growth
Worrying about what others think of you can set you back on your recovery journey. If you are feeling shame, it can be helpful to focus on the personal growth you have made. Try methods like affirmations or mindfulness to provide your brain with tangible examples of how far you have come.
Feeling accomplished can help reduce feelings of shame. If you want to continue making good progress, set achievable goals and celebrate your small successes. Even if it takes you longer to complete your goals, keeping a positive mindset will help motivate you along the way.
4- Build Healthy Relationships
During addiction, you may have lost friends or damaged relationships that you previously had. After rehab and during the recovery process, it is valid to feel guilt over the hurt you have caused those in your life. Make amends with those in your life who were around during your addiction to help with the feelings of guilt.
Going forward, you can navigate better relationships on your sober journey. Building new friendships and partnerships can be daunting, but if they are built on a healthy foundation, it could help your recovery journey. Friendships are important for everyone, especially when you are dealing with the emotions that come after addiction.
5- Accept Your Past, Actions, And Yourself
Guilt and shame often come from thoughts of your past. We have all done things that we regret, especially if your addiction causes harm to others or you are a bad partner. After recovery, you will need to do the work to accept your past and move forward in a better light. Forgiving yourself can be a long process, but making this a priority will make you feel fewer complicated emotions.
Addiction Recovery From Red Willow Counseling And Recovery
Red Willow offers counseling and recovery services for those in Utah. Our team has professional training and practices evidence-based therapies to ensure our clients get the best help possible. No matter your struggles, seeking professional help is a sign of strength. We are proud to help those with mental illness, addictions, substance abuse, and more. Call our Salt Lake or Park City location to start on your journey to bettering yourself.
