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During addiction, guilt and shame are masked by substance use. When a person enters recovery, those old feelings come to the forefront and can be challenging to deal with. Part of the recovery process involves facing the reality of how you behaved when you were suffering from addiction and finding a way to forgive yourself.
While these emotions can be helpful in the recovery process, you also need to address feelings of guilt and shame to prevent a potential relapse. If a person believes that they are worthless and incapable of change, shame and guilt will continue to play a part in the https://ecosoberhouse.com/ vicious cycle of substance abuse. It’s essential to analyze these feelings, reshape your perspective, forgive yourself for your past and move forward with a positive mindset. Often when people feel guilt or shame, they punish themselves with self-destructive actions.
Treating Shame and Addiction
Only by allowing someone to work through their difficulties themselves do we give them a chance to grow. When you allow shame to have power over you, you are trying to punish yourself for your past. Recovery is not about guilt and shame in recovery punishing yourself or others. It’s about looking at yourself honestly and with compassion so that you can have the courage to rebuild your life. It’s about nurturing a healthy relationship with yourself and others.
Taking an honest assessment of the damage they caused and the pain they inflicted during their addiction can be a difficult but essential step toward a better future. After beginning the journey to recovery, it may be common to feel guilty and ashamed of things done while addicted. Sitting in those feelings for too long is a good way to set a person up for relapse. Learn more about the shame cycle in recovery and how to learn ways to let go and heal. Shame can be caused by committing a crime and it could also be caused by being the victim.
How Do You Deal With Shame And Regret?
By working to overcome your addiction, you’re already taking steps to improve your life positively. Try to see yourself as a good and deserving person of forgiveness and love. Likely to relapse within the first 4 years of recovery.
