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One of the things that may be holding you back from overcoming your addiction problems is fear. This is not the same type of fear that people experience at the thought of, for example, going to the dentist, or hearing strange sounds in the night; it is such a mild fear that the person may not even understand that they are scared. The reality is that most will experience some fear at the thought of making any major type of life change, which is why so many remain trapped in their comfort zone.
In order for you to begin creating a new life for yourself, you will probably need to boost your courage, so you can overcome any fear that is holding you back. Below are just a few suggestions for how you can go about doing this.
Visualise How Much Better Your Life Could Be Without Alcohol or Drugs
Positive visualisation is a powerful tool that has helped many athletes, entrepreneurs, and other successful people achieve their goals. It involves trying to imagine, in as much detail as possible, what it would be like when you manage to break free of addiction. For this technique to be effective, it is best that you try to use as many of your senses as possible when visualising the future; this means smelling it, feeling it, and hearing it. If you practice positive visualisation in bed each morning, it can begin to boost your courage for recovery.
Speak to Those Already Established in Recovery
Spending time with those who have already made the change you want to make is sure to boost your confidence. It is important to choose positive role models though; just because a person is not drinking does not necessarily mean they are going to be a good example of sobriety. Surrounding yourself with the right people is going to greatly boost your courage, also meaning that you can benefit from plenty of advice and support.
Learn as Much as You Can about Recovery
It is usually the unknown that generates the most fear, so finding out more about recovery can begin to ease your concerns. If you are thinking about going to rehab or a fellowship meeting but feel anxious about what it is going to involve, you can do some research into what you can expect. You can also ask people who have already experienced the treatment option that you are considering.
Don’t Talk Yourself into Giving Up
The words you use in your speech can have a powerful effect on your psyche. If you keep talking about how hard it will be for you to stay sober, you should not be surprised if this is how it turns out to be. What you are doing is creating a self-fulfilling prophecy – you are telling yourself it is going to be hard, so your brain is taking this as an instruction to find evidence for this hardness. Try to be as positive as you can; you will sometimes hear people in recovery suggest that ‘you need to fake it to make it’.
Have a Clear Reason for Quitting Alcohol
If your reason for quitting alcohol is not something that really excites you, it will probably not allow you to develop enough motivation to quit. It is also important that your reason for giving up alcohol is clear and you do not want it to contain the word ‘should’. You will only be able to break free of alcohol or drug addiction because you really want it and not because you think you should give these substances up.
