Addiction can take over a person’s life and ruin their relationships. When trying to get clean, it’s only natural to fear addiction and what may happen during and after recovery. Individuals in recovery often worry about relapsing, how to return to their normal lives and how to deal with the stresses of life without the crutch of their chosen substance. Facing fear and recovery go hand in hand.
In this guide, we provide a list of fears in recovery and discuss how to address them.
Fear of Failure and Relapse
Beating addiction isn’t easy. Historical data shows that 40% to 60% of people struggling with substance abuse relapse at some point. Certain substances, such as opiates, have much higher relapse rates. A recent international study that followed 915 patients over a 2-year period found 24% of participants relapsed during the study timeframe.
Checking into a rehab or otherwise attempting to get clean is a big step — and often a public one. Going through withdrawal symptoms isn’t easy. Plus, many individuals attempting to overcome substance use are doing so because of the impact of addiction on their lives. Given these factors, it’s only natural that some individuals in recovery would have a fear of relapsing.
Fear of Losing Relationships or Identity
Individuals in recovery with friends or family members who abuse substances are at the greatest risk of relapsing. Someone in that situation may have to end friendships or distance themselves from loved ones to have a chance of staying clean when they leave rehab.
Loneliness is a reasonable fear, and recovery can seem impossible when you’re surrounded by others who are addicted. Many rehab facilities help patients establish new habits and find new support networks so they can have an identity outside their addiction.
Fear of Facing Emotions Without Substances
Some people turn to alcohol or drugs in an attempt to dull their emotions. Unfortunately, this can often lead to dependency and addiction. When a person stops using their substance of choice, they may fear dealing with the emotions they were trying to mask.
Someone with a comorbid condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety, can find this aspect of recovery particularly difficult, increasing their risk of relapse. Working with a therapist is an important part of rehab, and it can help these individuals learn new methods of managing difficult emotions.
Fear and Recovery: How Fears Impact Progress
The fears a person struggles with during their recovery process can hamper their journey in several ways, sometimes even before it starts. Some people delay starting rehab out of fear they’ll relapse and feel ashamed or let their loved ones down.
Others start treatment but then allow perfectionism to get in the way. Recovery isn’t a linear process, and if a person falls victim to perfectionism, they might spiral after a small misstep and believe they’re back to square one because of this one mistake.
To make progress, a person must set realistic expectations, take a long-term view and balance holding themselves accountable with understanding the difficulty of recovery. A skilled addiction therapist can help them learn how to do this.
Coping Strategies to Overcome Fear in Recovery
Learning positive coping strategies can help you stay on track through a long and difficult recovery journey. Useful strategies include:
- Build a support network. Having people to talk to during recovery is vital. A support network, whether friends, peers or family members who aren’t struggling with addiction themselves, can be invaluable. A therapist can add accountability and provide some support as well.
- Learn stress management techniques. Dwelling on your fears takes a lot of mental energy and can make relapse more likely. Learning stress management techniques to prevent yourself from acting on impulse and finding positive things to distract yourself with can help you stay the course when temptation strikes.
- Name and understand your fears. Sometimes simply acknowledging a fear and giving it a name can lessen the intensity of the emotion. Once you’ve named a fear, you can think about why you feel that way and develop strategies to avoid falling into negative thought patterns.
- Build good habits. Rather than thinking about what not to do, find positive and enjoyable activities to fill your time. Finding an exercise you like can help you get fit and boost your mood. Eating well and getting enough sleep can also enhance your well-being and make it easier to cope with difficult emotions so you don’t fall into bad habits again.
Building Confidence Through Ongoing Support
Many people who’ve lived with substance addiction say they never consider themselves truly recovered. They may go a long time without indulging, but there’s always some temptation. With that said, the first year or two are the hardest, and it’s useful to have ongoing support during that period.
Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous can be helpful, but there are many options. Some follow a 12-step program that focuses on how a higher power can provide the strength needed to overcome addiction. Those who are less spiritual may prefer an alternative such as Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery, which takes a more scientific approach.
Before joining a support group, it’s useful to go through more conventional therapy. This can provide short-term assistance and give you the skills you need to cope with ongoing challenges. At FHE Health, we offer a variety of recovery and addiction treatment programs to support individuals struggling with drug or alcohol abuse. Our programs include detox treatments and therapy to set a person up for long-term success.
Finding Recovery Support
If you’re struggling with addiction or care for someone who has substance abuse issues, contact FHE Health today. Our team is here to answer your questions and help you take the first step toward recovery.
