Almost half of Americans have a family member or close friend who has had a drug addiction. Addiction is a disease that impacts millions of lives. Unfortunately, one of the main fears that arises when an individual struggling with addiction considers starting their journey to recovery is how their loved ones will react when they find out about their addiction.
Whether it be a fear of abandonment, rejection, or judgment, it can be scary overcoming fear of abandonment in recovery. That’s why in this article, you learn how to deal with fear of abandonment so you can effectively progress along your road to recovery.
At Hammocks on the Edisto, we are a women’s drug rehab in South Carolina that provides tailored care to best support each patient’s recovery needs. We offer a comprehensive range of women’s substance abuse treatment programs so you can receive the right support to lead a healthier, happier life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your recovery journey.
How to Deal with Fear of Abandonment
Overcoming fear of abandonment in recovery is closely connected to addressing feelings of anxiety or shame. Unfortunately, many people in recovery, even though they are receiving the support they need, still experience shame about their addiction.
This can inevitably lead individuals seeking recovery to worry about loved ones rejecting or abandoning them. These fears can stunt the recovery journey progress. Below are various tips on how to deal with fear of abandonment so you can effectively progress along your road to recovery.
- Talk with a Therapist
First, if you are struggling with fear of abandonment in recovery, it’s important to talk with a therapist about these feelings, rather than letting them ruminate in your mind. A therapist will help you not only learn the origins of where you may have developed this fear of abandonment, but also help guide you to healthy coping strategies you can use to heal this fear of abandonment.
Likewise, talk therapy can be a powerful way to communicate your honest feelings to a licensed professional in a safe space. This way, you can productively tackle your fear of abandonment with an expert, rather than letting your fears rob you of your health and quality of life.
- Check in with Yourself and Your Thoughts
While a therapist can be a great person to talk to about your fear of abandonment in recovery, your therapist won’t always be by your side 24/7. In other words, you need to learn how to check in with yourself and your thoughts to prevent feelings of anxiety and fear from creating a spiral of negative self-talk.
Some ways you can check in with your thoughts is by keeping a journal to track your emotions and any events that seem to trigger feelings of anxiety or fear of abandonment in recovery. For example, if you find that any time you mention your parents and childhood you immediately feel a rush of anxiety or fear of abandonment, this may be a sign you need to heal from a part of your childhood.
You can also try learning more about attachment styles to gain a better understanding of your own unique attachment style.
- Seek Help from Support Groups
Support groups are an extremely valuable resource you can use to help heal feelings of fear of abandonment in recovery. Support groups allow you to connect with others going through similar struggles and experiencing similar emotions. Likewise, you can feel less alone in your fears while learning from others about how they effectively calm their fears of abandonment in a productive way.
- Practice Self-Love
Last but not least, it’s important to consistently practice self-love throughout your recovery journey and beyond. Otherwise, allowing negative self-talk to consume your thoughts will inevitably lead you to feel like you are not good enough or that your loved ones will reject you. Try finding an activity you enjoy (i.e. hiking, journaling, rock climbing, etc.) and learning more about yourself, rather than sitting with your negative thoughts.
Start Your Road to Recovery Today
Overcoming fear of abandonment in recovery is critical so you can effectively progress on your recovery journey. Although you are not in control of how others react to your addiction journey, the loved ones who support you no matter what are the ones meant to be in your life. You should never feel too afraid or ashamed to ask for help in overcoming addiction.
At Hammocks on the Edisto, we are a leading women’s drug rehab committed to helping as many clients as possible lead a healthier, happier life. We understand that no two recovery journeys are the same. That’s why we offer a broad range of treatment programs and addiction therapies in South Carolina to best support your unique recovery journey. Ready to start your road to recovery? Contact us today!
