Recovery is one of the most encouraging experiences. It shows how much people can change and grow. You also need at least a little optimism to even think about getting sober—to think such a change is possible.
Sobriety is Hopeful
When you are diagnosed with an addiction or mental health disorder, it can feel hopeless. You know you are stuck with this for life. But recovery is not a life sentence; it’s a gift. It allows you to become a more self-aware, present, and engaged person.
When you first get sober, you do so because you have hope that your life will improve. Sustaining optimism throughout your recovery means that you’ll want to grow. Even during high stress times, you’ll be able to envision a better future.
You will feel the results of your work in recovery often, but you’re in it for the long-haul. This means that you need to sustain hope through ups and downs.
Even if you aren’t in Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous, many common 12-step-based recovery sayings are about cultivating hope. The phrase “This, too, shall pass,” for example, is ultimately very much about hope—the understanding that though things might not be great right now, they won’t always be that way.
Building Gratitude and Immersing Yourself in the World
Practicing gratitude helps create hope. It reminds you of the good things already in your life, and it can help you parse out what you still want to work towards.
Of course, simply writing a gratitude list isn’t a cure for any mental health disorder, but it’s a great tool. It also doesn’t mean repressing things that bother you or need to change; it’s about appreciating the things that make you want to move forward—or in other words, the things that give you hope.
Immersing yourself in hobbies or being of service are also helpful. They remind you what’s good in your life and help you feel connected. They are also inherently forward-looking, as is hope. With hobbies, you want to grow and improve; with being of service, you want to make a difference over time.
It’s okay to feel hopeless. You don’t have to judge yourself for it. Just try to gently bring yourself back, like you might during a meditation (also great for building hope). If you are sober, you probably never could have imagined you’d get here when you were in active addiction. That is a form of hope.
If you are struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder, there is hope. TruHealing Centers across the country offer high-quality treatment for addiction and mental health disorders. Our staff—many of whom are in recovery themselves—will help you build a great life in recovery. To learn more, call an admissions specialist at 410-593-0005.