How to Forgive Yourself for Being an Addict

The Recovery Process: How to Forgive Yourself for Being an Addict

Why Self-Forgiveness in Addiction Recovery is Important

To talk about how to forgive yourself for being an addict, we must first discuss why it’s important. During a person’s substance-abusing past, it’s common for addicts to do and say things that aren’t themselves. As an addict, you may have stolen from people you care about, neglected your children’s feelings, or cheated on your partner. You may have destroyed long-standing relationships or lost your job putting financial strain on those close to you. How to forgive yourself for being an addict starts with realizing that the choices you made during your addiction didn’t come from moral weakness but rather from a mental disease.

You may be able to make amends with the people that you hurt or mistreated during your addiction, such as paying back money that you stole or sincerely apologizing for deceitful behavior, but if there is no self-forgiveness in addiction recovery, then the mistakes you made while intoxicated or high can haunt you. Feelings of guilt and shame can be destructive and ultimately lead you to relapse. Beat the addiction relapse statistics that say 40 to 60 percent of people will suffer a relapse within the first year by embracing acceptance in addiction recovery.

How to Forgive Yourself for Being an Addict

Negative thoughts can often be muddled in your mind. It can seem like you’re thinking and feeling a thousand things at once. Therefore, one of the ways to start to forgive yourself is by keeping a journal. Write down anything that makes you feel ashamed and guilty. It becomes easier to forgive yourself when you’re able to sort through the array of emotions and thoughts you have. A private journal also allows you to be completely honest without any concern about what others may think.

Talking to another human being about what’s making you feel angry or ashamed is a very therapeutic experience. You may discover that the bad memories you’re holding onto aren’t as bad you imagine it to be, helping with acceptance in addiction recovery. If you have a friend or spouse that you feel comfortable talking to then sit down with them and share your feelings and why you are finding it hard to forgive yourself. If you aren’t comfortable talking to someone who hasn’t gone through a similar experience, then seek out support group meetings and get a sponsor to talk to.

Another very important aspect of self-forgiveness is learning to focus more on the good things you have done. This isn’t to say that you should ignore the bad things you did, but rather that you need to have a well-rounded perspective. It’s easy to get sucked into only seeing the bad that you’ve done. Learn to give yourself a pat on the back at the end of each day where you achieved something good.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, get help right away. Make a phone call that will connect you to a professional drug treatment center. The call you make may save your life or the life of someone you love. Call us today at (800) 429-7690.