Motivated by Fear in Recovery from Addiction

Recovery from drug and alcohol addiction may be the most daunting experience an individual will ever have to encounter. Recovery depends on the admission that one can do it alone, that one isn’t in control, and this realization – this ceding of power – can be surprisingly empowering. What many fail to realize is that, despite a newfound helplessness, the crippling fear swatting away the healing hands of recovery is the very same fear that allowed for recovery to initiate.

Sometimes fear in recovery is your greatest ally in your journey to freedom from alcohol abuse and drug addiction. It can be the driving force that allows you to further your attempts toward freedom from substance abuse. Fear, when you were victim to your darkest, most vulnerable moments is what reminded you that recovery was a need and not just an option. Fear is what worked to remind you that you had a purpose, that, whether God or friends or family, your addiction was threatening to relieve you of omething you did not want to lose. Fear is what got you through the door, and fear can help to keep you there.

Starting a Rehab Program. And Finishing It.

Whether in rehab, the 12 steps, or addiction treatment of another sort, fear will be your ever-present companion through every twist and turn on your road to recovery. And it will be hard. It will make you want to run from your progress and retreat into regression. It will make you want to concede to your disease, your delusion. But that’s ok. This is all ok. What’s more, this is all normal.

Remember always: we fear the things that mean most to us. We fear losing them.

Fear will be your ally in recovery because you will fear making a misstep. You will fear hindering the progress you’ve made. And all fear means is that you care. You don’t want to fail. You don’t want to quit. You feel the weight of fear on your shoulders because you feel the warmth of recovery shining down on you. You feel tired at the work you’re forcing upon yourself in your efforts to understand your addiction, to understand yourself, to understand your place.

And that’s ok. Fear is your ally, and that you’re afraid means you’re one step closer.