One of the reasons people relapse is because they wish to drink or use drugs when someone has hurt their feelings. Whether they feel like they are criticized at work, have been broken up with, or internalize a social media post, feelings can get injured quickly in an online world.
As a person who suffers from drug and alcohol addiction, you may find yourself feeling more sensitive without drugs and alcohol. Psychoactive ingredients are often used to numb feelings and forget about the overwhelming troubles you may be facing. When this happens, you need to know that drugs and alcohol will only make things worse for everybody involved. Your hurt feelings can be worked out. All you need to do is take some action in your program so that the next time someone hurts your feelings, you will be better equipped to handle yourself.
Feel Your Feelings
Your first inkling may be to stuff them down, but that will not work. At some point, you will feel your feelings voluntarily, or they will manifest in another negative manner. Holding in pain can burden you more than you realize by causing physical or mental anguish to materialize. Feeling your feelings may not always be a great experience, but the aftermath will leave you feeling light and free.
Understand Your Feelings
If you want to make changes, introspection and feedback from a sponsor or therapist can help you not to repeat the pain of your feelings. Journaling, or using a daily inventory, are also ways to clear your mind from the mental torture you impose on yourself. Taking time to get down to the root cause of why you are feeling the way you do may reveal that what you thought was the problem is much deeper than you could have guessed. Peeling away the layers of your feelings will help you with your overall confidence and assist you in walking through them moving forward.
Remember that feelings are not facts, and you do not need drugs and alcohol to help you cope. You just need to face them head-on and use your recovery tools to aid you. When your feelings are hurt, you only need to know that there is no gain without pain. Once again, you are in a stage of growth that will help you stay sober and become the best version of yourself.
Valiant Living is all about exhibiting tremendous growth in recovery. We offer “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit through a full range of rehabilitation and mental health services. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
