Addiction recovery is a lengthy process full of small successes and failures along the way. To complete the recovery process and achieve your goals, it is important to stay focused on your anticipated outcome and avoid self-sabotaging along the way. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome during the recovery process is getting over your negative thoughts. You can work on many practices to avoid reaching this point of self-sabotage and keep track of your recovery.
Fear
One of the biggest mental obstacles to overcome to avoid self-sabotage is fear. When we allow fear to run our minds, we are consistently reinforcing the thought that we will not be able to succeed. Fear may come in different forms throughout recoveries, such as fear of incapability, fear of judgment, fear of the unknown, fear of relapse, and fear of success.
As surprising as it sounds, many individuals are afraid of success. After becoming comfortable in your current state, picturing a future after recovery can be terrifying. It may seem easier to stay in this place than to go through recovery and have to function in society. This ties in with the fear of the unknown, the worry that you might not be able to handle what the world brings your way.
Having these fears is completely normal. Many people who are consistently stuck in the process of recovery are held back by the fear of success, keeping them from ever changing. However, working past that barrier can lead you to long-term happiness and won’t require you to keep fighting this forever.
Overall Signs of Self-Sabotage
The following overall signs are important to watch for throughout your recovery process. Most people engage in at least one of these behaviors during treatment. If you notice that a large number of these behaviors are common for you, you may be self-sabotaging your recovery. These signs include:
- Procrastinating
- Neglecting your health
- Blaming others for situations that go wrong
- Having a negative attitude and self-image
- Unusually acting out
There are more signs of self-sabotage, but these are the most common to watch out for. Keep in mind that you may experience any or all of these at one point, but the overall goal is to quickly step out of that behavior and not let it develop into a habit.
How to Prevent These From Becoming Habits
You may notice you are engaging in some of these behaviors, and they may be on their way to becoming (or may already be) a habitual practice for you. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to break the cycle of these behaviors and avoid self-sabotaging your recovery process.
Procrastinating: Procrastination is a common behavior for many individuals, but if you ever notice it increasing or affecting your ability to succeed, try using a planner to organize your responsibilities. Writing a to-do list every day and holding yourself accountable for completing those tasks can help you eliminate procrastination.
Neglecting Your Health: Physical health has a large influence on your mental health. Exercising three to five times a week for at least 30 minutes is highly encouraged to keep your physical health in check. This does not need to be extremely strenuous. Even going for a walk outside can help you retain your physical health. Make a goal to go on a walk outside every morning or evening.
It is also important to maintain a healthy diet. Avoid eating foods full of sugar when you are stressed and find a healthy substitution. Ensure you are eating enough to keep your body energized. The sources you fuel your body with have a large impact on your overall health. Focusing on healthy eating can help you regain your focus on your wellbeing.
Blaming Others: It can be easy to blame others when situations do not go the way you anticipate. If you notice yourself assuming the worst in others or blaming others for situations that are not their fault, take a second to think before you speak. These thought processes are often very impulsive, and so are the actions when you decide to state how you feel. Thinking over a situation and putting yourself in their position can help you understand how they may feel for being blamed for something out of their control.
Negative Attitude:
One of the best ways to keep track of your attitude and opinions of yourself and your life is to keep a journal. Writing your thoughts down every day enables you to go back and reflect on how you have been feeling. If you notice your negativity increasing, engage in an activity that makes you feel good about yourself.
Unusual Acting Out: This is a big one to watch out for. If you notice yourself engaging in aggressive or violent behavior that is not typical for you, realize this behavior can be a subconscious way of destroying your progress. This is a common pitfall for many individuals in recovery when they are approaching a goal and are on a good path. They suddenly lose sight of their progress and act out to avoid reaching that point.
One recommendation for this is to check in with your surrounding peers and support. If you feel agitated, ask your peers if you seem to be acting out unusually. Realizing you are doing this can help you stop engaging in the behavior almost immediately.
Consistent engagement in self-sabotaging behavior can take a drastic toll on the progress of your treatment and have extremely negative effects on your mental health. Fear is one of the most common emotions that leads to self-sabotaging behavior. If you notice yourself consistently neglecting your physical health, blaming others, procrastinating, having a negative attitude or self-image, and unusually acting out, you may be falling into the self-sabotage trap. This article goes into detail on how you can work with these behaviors and outlines different practices you can engage in to prevent these behaviors turning into a habit. If they already appear to be a habit, these practices can help you break the cycle and refocus on your recovery process. Learning to regulate these behaviors can help ease the process of recovery and prevent full self-sabotage. To learn more about how to avoid self-sabotage, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.