Rebuilding Trust in Recovery: An Unconventional Perspective
When we talk about trust in the context of addiction, we usually are referring to the difficulties that family members and friends have trusting their struggling loved ones. It is hard to know how much freedom to allow, as the fear that they could relapse is a valid concern. However, few people in the recovery community give thought to the troubles the person in recovery experiences in learning to trust themselves, and others, again.
The life of an individual in recovery is anything but stable. Cycles of disappointment, poverty, and depression, coupled with frequent transitions between living environments, hospitals, and recovery facilities make it difficult to escape attacks of anxiety and uncertainty. With so many new faces and new settings come so many trust issues.
Trust issues, given these circumstances, are understandable. However, as Brené Brown, a behavioral research professor at the University of Houston, claims, it is an essential problem to address in the recovery process: “Unfortunately, current treatment approaches often don’t encourage you to trust yourself. They encourage you to see yourself as a helpless addict, a person with a disease. They encourage you to trust in a higher power in God, or the group, or the doctor, not in yourself.” If a man or woman in recovery cannot trust themselves, they cannot live independently, or take responsibility and ownership of their disease.
Sober houses which run on a platform of self-reliance and building a resilient character prove to be tremendously effective in the recovery maintenance of their residents. Vanderburgh House homes are run with the focus on promoting each resident’s personal recovery journey. If a resident can trust themselves, they can learn to trust others.
Several clinical methodologies focus on rebuilding self-esteem as well. In order to help clients cope with stress and anxiety, AdCare Hospital offers meditation and yoga programs. These exercises focus on helping patients relax and connect with their bodies and minds in a state of complete focus. With a sound and quiet mind, trust can be rebuilt.
Recovery is hard. Recovery is @#!$% hard. However, more difficulties arise during the recovery process than simply withdrawal symptoms. As caregivers, it is essential that we recognize this fact, and work to address it. Until one can love and trust his or herself, recovery is impossible.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, there are resources out there. Sober houses, like the ones on Sober House Directory, each offer something unique. Take a look at our map and get connected with someone near you! If you are interested in giving back to the recovery community and would like to open a sober house, give our friends Vanderburgh Communities a call.