Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope
Choosing sobriety and recovery from addiction is not an easy path, but ultimately, it is the only way to finding freedom from the overwhelming burden that comes with these destructive behaviors.
Showing Recovery
While many of the transforming effects of recovery from addiction may not be as obvious or apparent at first, there are definitely aspects of your life that will begin to improve over time through your commitment to recovery.
As a person is no longer under the influence of drugs or alcohol, every aspect of life gradually improves, including physical wellness, emotional and mental state, relationships, cognition and more.
If you have been in recovery from addiction, you can likely relate to the improvements that you have seen in your own life.
Everything from regaining physical energy and clarify to feeling emotional stable can give you the confidence you need to maintain your sobriety efforts.
You may also feel the desire to share your progress with others, particularly those who are closest to you. The truth is that your actions, decisions, and choices will ultimately reveal your new life in addiction recovery.
Ask for Forgiveness
One aspect that becomes apparent as you become stronger in your recovery from an addiction is your ability to express remorse as well as ask for and receive forgiveness from others.
Relationships are often shaken and broken by the devastating consequences associated with addiction, and this can take some time to repair and heal from.
As you gain clarity in your own recovery and mature emotionally and mentally, you can begin to let go of suppressed emotions as well as better cope with and process misgivings from your past.
Being able to forgive others as well as express forgiveness for ways you have caused hurt to those in your own life is a reflection of the new life you are building in recovery.
Work with your therapist and counselor to find ways to reach this point and learn how to effectively process the pain from your past without addictive behaviors.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
Have you been in recovery from an addiction? If so, what are some of the transformations you have observed in your own life through this process?
About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of addictions. These are not necessarily the views of Addiction Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Addiction Hope understand that addictions result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on December 30, 2015
Published on AddictionHope.com