When a person has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it affects them physically, mentally, and spiritually. During recovery, as the body begins to heal from the disease of addiction, feelings of guilt, self-doubt, and loss of confidence are common. Using positive affirmations can help reduce negative feelings and boost self-confidence.
What are Positive Affirmations?
Positive affirmations are short, positive, powerful statements that a person repeats throughout the day to help change their negative thoughts and beliefs. They confirm the person’s value and self-worth while validating that their past actions, behaviors, or thinking do not define them. Positive affirmations help remind us of what we like about themselves. They encourage us to keep moving forward even when facing challenges or difficult times.
Three Reasons Why Positive Affirmations Help in Addiction Recovery
Positive affirmations can be helpful in addiction recovery in many ways. Here are three of them.
- Using positive affirmations is an excellent skill in addiction recovery. When a person struggles with a substance use disorder, it is easy for them to get caught up in negative thoughts about themselves, their addiction, and their future. Positive affirmations can help them to replace these negative thoughts with more positive ones, such as “I am strong enough to overcome this” or “I am worthy of a happy and healthy life.”
- Drug and alcohol addiction damages self-esteem and confidence. Using positive affirmations helps to rebuild these by reminding the individual of their strengths and accomplishments. Positive affirmations could be “I am a survivor” or “I am capable of achieving my goals.”
- Positive affirmations help the individual to stay on track and avoid a relapse. When a person is feeling tempted to drink alcohol or use drugs, positive affirmations can shift the mood. Positive affirmations can remind them why they are in addiction recovery and the reasons to stay sober, such as “I want to be a better person for my loved ones” or “I want to be healthy and happy.”
Positive Affirmations in Addiction Recovery
It is important to choose affirmations that are meaningful to you and that you can believe in. You can write your own affirmations or find them online or in books. The most important thing is to repeat your affirmations regularly, especially when you are feeling challenged or tempted to return to substance use.
Here are some tips for using positive affirmations in addiction recovery:
- Make your affirmations personal. Use “I” and “me” instead of “you” or “they.”
- Keep your affirmations simple and positive.
- Repeat your affirmations often, especially when you are feeling challenged.
- Write your affirmations down and put them in places where you will see them often, such as on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator.
- Meditate on your affirmations or say them out loud before you go to sleep or after you wake up.
- Share your affirmations with a trusted friend or family member.
- Happier Human and Be a Happy Human are two websites offering a selection of positive affirmations for addiction recovery.
Positive Affirmations and the Brain
Positive affirmations are powerful messages that can drive change. Using positive affirmations regularly creates long-term, lasting changes in the way a person thinks and feels. When a person says positive statements regularly, it changes their brain. The National Library of Medicine has published studies with magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) showing how self-affirmation focused on future-based objectives affects the brain. Positive affirmations can change our brains by encouraging new thinking patterns. The brain’s ability to change and rewire itself is called neuroplasticity.
Further research confirms that the brain perceives imagination as a neurological reality. Simply put, a person’s brain believes what they tell it. When an individual creates positive affirmations, they are a form of imagination. When the individual regularly repeats affirmations, their brain perceives them as reality. It starts to believe them.
The Power of Positivity in Addiction Recovery
The power of positivity is strong. It can have a significant impact on your mental health, improving mood and reducing stress and anxiety. When people are positive, they are more likely to see the good in themselves and their situation. They are also more likely to believe in themselves and their ability to overcome challenges. Positivity is critical in addiction recovery, as it can help people to stay motivated and attain lasting sobriety.
Addiction is Treatable
A chronic brain disease, addiction is treatable. If you or someone you care about is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, now is the time to get the help you need. Located in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, English Mountain Recovery is a residential treatment center offering gender-specific treatment services. Our highly skilled staff of caring professionals will guide you through recovery. Take the first step to regaining your life. Contact us today.
