How To Address Shame And Guilt During Addiction Recovery Lantana Recovery: Addiction Treatment Rehab Center

It can trigger a dependency on alcohol or drugs as a method of escape. The shame-addiction pairing can find an addict in a precarious cycle, as their addiction may lead to increased shame and a growing need to hide their reality from others and even from themselves. Shame and guilt are often used interchangeably but are in fact not the same.

Seeing your shame for what it is will help you understand the severity of your actions. It’s likely that you’ll feel shameful for a human error, for a behaviour which has been controlled by an addictive stimulus, rather than yourself. To break away from shame, you must see your experience with drugs, alcohol or addiction as an https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-rebuild-your-life-after-addiction-how-to-regain-trust/ illness, rather than a choice. Seeing shame and guilt as counterproductive emotions will progress your healing. If you are in recovery, you have most likely had to confront the heavy feelings of guilt and shame. These emotions will naturally emerge as you progress through therapy, exploring the behaviors you may now regret.

Professional Treatment Options for Shame and Guilt

Everyone has said something hurtful or did something out of selfishness which
caused another person pain. Therefore, anyone could benefit from learning to
let go of feelings of guilt and shame. By completing these steps, you can use the role of shame and guilt in addiction recovery as a motivator, rather than fuel to the fire. Ensure you are in the right mindset for this by overcoming shame and guilt linked to an uncontrolled moment or experience. Forgiving yourself and asking for forgiveness from others will help to heal the emotions of shame and guilt. While this can take some time, while professional intervention may be required, it’s important that you work on your mental health state and your view on self-worth.

It doesn’t matter how you get
it or who you hurt in the process. You feel compelled to meet your addiction’s needs no matter guilt and shame in recovery what the
cost. To the addicted person, meeting that need is more important than eating,
sleeping or any other basic need.

Breaking the Cycle of Guilt and Shame

Irrational thoughts and beliefs can fuel shame and inappropriate guilt. These untruths can perpetuate negative feelings we have about ourselves. Take a look at these statements, and check your own beliefs regarding them. While guilt is acknowledging and feeling bad that you did something you should not have, shame is internalizing guilt and believing that you, yourself are bad because of the bad things you have done. Accepting yourself is very important, especially to overcome the unworthiness of shame.