Putting Words to Your Fears About Addiction Recovery

The process of recovery from substance abuse or addiction is not an easy journey to begin. For many individuals, fear is often what keeps them from even taking the first step. For other people, different fears are discovered during recovery that make them want to quit their treatment program and just give up. Do either of these sound like what you’re experiencing? Then learning how to overcome fear is worth your time. But it may not feel that simple—you might be afraid of more than one thing. If you’ve never been to recovery or inpatient treatment before, you might feel afraid of the new experience and what it might change in your life. And if you’ve already been through a recovery program, it may have been a tough experience, or perhaps you’re afraid of being judged for relapsing. If you’re going through a combination of any the fears above, the key is to remember that you’re not alone in having these feelings. Fear is a normal—and sometimes even necessary—response when it comes time to tough situations. But it should only be a part of the decision-making process, not the sole factor.

Tip #1: Reframing Fears as Questions

In addition to fear of the unknown and fear of judgment, there are many more you may be feeling that are quite common. It’s helpful to frame up these fears as open-ended questions, for example:

• What will my new life be like?
• Will I still be able to have fun like before?
• How can I handle facing my dark past?
• What if others despise me after they see how flawed I am?
• Am I past the point of “no going back?”
• What if the people I’ve hurt can’t or won’t forgive me?
• What if I do all this work and I still feel like a failure?

By asking questions in this way, you provide yourself an opportunity to provide an answer instead of making definitive statements like:

• No one will ever forgive me for what I’ve done.
• I’ll never be able to have fun like I did in the past.
• I know I’ll hate myself by the end of this process.
• This is a waste of time; I’m a total failure.

Questions offer the option for a truthful and loving response, whereas dead-end statements based on fear only lead to hopelessness.

Tip #2: Understanding the Purpose of Fear

According to a recent article in the journal of Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, “fear memory and drug reward memory” are two of the most well-studied types of memories that have an effect on how we make decisions. These memories can serve as “cues,” or markers that help us to survive in complicated environments and tough situations. Fear memory, for example, may be associated with past experiences that have taught us to be cautious when facing a dangerous circumstance. But, as the article explains, “when these emotional memories become aberrant and maladaptive, they lead to mental disorders such as drug addiction and post-traumatic stress disorders.” The goal, then, is to acknowledge fear as a piece of the puzzle instead of the only thing determining our thought-processes. We should also approach complex situations with a healthy reverence, or fear, of what we’re dealing with. The apostle Paul articulates this axiom as “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” which points to a healthy respect for things that require it (Phil. 2:12).

Tip #3: Replacing Fears With Truth and Rationale

Instead of letting fear dominate your decisions regarding addiction treatment, how might you answer your fear-questions with loving truth? At the end of the day, if your goal is love and wholeness, “there is no fear in love; perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18). Some examples of truth-telling affirmations include:

• I create and shape my life. My ideas about who I want to be may change and grow as I do.
• When I think about the life I want, I will find the motivation to stop hiding from my fears and will face them with boldness.
• Although building new friendships feels overwhelming, I believe that there are people out there who won’t judge me. And if they do, I can keep looking for the supportive network I need.
• Relapse might be a part of the process and can be a powerful teacher. The most important thing is that I haven’t given up and I won’t.
• Those I’ve hurt will need to go through their own process with the pain I’ve caused. But reconciliation is only possible if I make myself ready for it.

Additional Ways to Overcome Fear In Addiction Recovery

There are many other ways to overcome the fears you have before or during addiction recovery. Here are a few examples, some of which are taken from scripture:

• Tip #4: Find Your Peace: Practicing a calm and peaceful presence for a few minutes each day to calm your fears helps train yourself over time to respond calmly and help yourself stay in the present moment (Phil. 4:6-7).
• Tip #5: Focus on the Good: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:8-9).
• Tip #6: Have A Support System: Ask your support network for help if you need it, and be okay about where you’re at with your struggle. One of the biggest fears in addiction recovery, according to BMC Psychiatry is the fear of stigma. Having a supportive network can help you avoid feeling stigmatized by your close relationships and day to day interactions.

If you’re looking to face your fears and start your recovery journey, contact our team at Adult and Teen Challenge today.