fbpx
Skip to content

TH: +66 20 385 469     Toll Free USA/CAN: 1 888 806 6776     Toll Free UK: 0 808 189 0393     Toll Free AUS: 1 800 251 994     HK: +852 3008 5841     SG: +65 3158 7621

  • Home
  • What We Treat
    • Addiction
      • Alcohol Addiction Treatment
      • Drug Addiction Treatment
      • Amphetamine Addiction Treatment
      • Cocaine Addiction Treatment
      • GHB Addiction Treatment
      • Heroin Addiction Treatment
      • Ecstasy Addiction Treatment
      • Marijuana Addiction Treatment
      • Methamphetamine Addiction Treatment
    • Mental Health
      • Anxiety treatment programme
      • Depression treatment programme
      • Co-treating Addiction and Trauma Disorders
      • Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring Disorders
    • Behavioral Addiction
      • Co-Occurring Disordered Eating Treatment
      • Internet Addiction Treatment
      • Rehab for Gambling Addiction Treatment
  • Our Programme
    • Changing Pathways Addiction Programme
      • Physical Therapy
    • The Kintsugi Programme
    • Disordered Eating Programme
    • Continuing Care
    • Recovery House at The Cabin
    • Sunday Excursions
  • About Our Rehab
    • About the Cabin
    • Accommodation and Facilities
    • Gallery
    • The Cabin Group
    • Our Team
    • Client Testimonials
    • In The Press
    • Blogs
  • Admissions
    • Admissions Process
    • How Rehab Works at The Cabin
    • Online assessment
    • FAQ
    • Family Advice
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Referring a Client

Get Help Now
04/05/2016

Learning to Love Yourself in Addiction Recovery

Home › Blog › Infosheet › Learning to Love Yourself in Addiction Recovery

Learning to Love Yourself in Addiction Recovery

Feelings of shame and guilt are common in people who have suffered from severe addictions and can lead to feelings of low self-esteem. For many people in addiction recovery, learning to love yourself again is a difficult process that can feel impossible at times.

Why is Shame and Guilt so Common in Recovering Addicts?

In the throes of addiction, an addict will often do anything it takes to get their next fix, whether that means stealing money from loved ones, performing sexual acts for drugs, alcohol or money, or breaking and entering homes among other things. Once an addict is out of their active addiction and is leading a sober life, memories of these activities can be hard to come to terms with — as they are things their sober selves would never do.

As well, relationships are often damaged during active addiction and many addicts in recovery find themselves with few (or no) close friendships, adding feelings of loneliness and low self-worth to the mix.

How to Love Yourself during Recovery from Addiction

Building confidence and learning to love yourself is an integral part of being successful in addiction recovery.  The following tips will help you on your way to self-love:

Learning to Love Yourself in Addiction Recovery

1. Understand the disease of addiction.

Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) stated the following:

“What happens in the brain of the addicted person is equivalent to a state of deprivation. It changes the brain from operating in a situation where someone has a choice and does something because he wants to do it to a situation where it feels like need.”

So while it does not completely excuse behaviours such as stealing or hurting people, it is important to remember that addiction is a disease of the brain, and those who are in active addiction are not thinking properly, leading them to do things they would not normally do. It is important to remember that you are not a bad person, but your disease may have caused you to act like one. There is a big difference between the two.

2. Understand that your past actions do not define you.

Sometimes we forget that humans are innately good. Looking back on your past behaviours might make you question that about yourself, but it is true — you are naturally a good person. All you need to do is tap into it. Move past your previous mistakes of poor behaviour and make an effort to do at least one good thing for another person each and every day. Not only will this make you feel all warm and gooey inside, but it will help to reshape the image that others have about you.

Everybody deserves a chance to be a good person, no matter what their past behaviours have been. Prove to yourself that your days of poor behaviour are behind you by helping others each and every day.

3. Make amends with the people you hurt.

If there are people that you hurt while in active addiction, it will help you to make amends with these people. It is important to remember that not everyone will be willing to accept your attempt to make amends, but it is worth a try. Also remember that there is a big difference between simply apologising and making amends. For more details on how to properly make amends in addiction recovery, please click here.

4. Take care of yourself.

This is important for every person on the planet, but especially those who are in addiction recovery. One of the best ways to achieve self-love is by nurturing your body, inside and out. By being active, eating healthily, and getting enough sleep you are taking care of your physical body and you will find that your strength and energy levels increase as your stress levels decrease naturally.  Equally as important, you must nurture your mind. Mindfulness meditation is one example of how you can do so, but so can reading books, taking art classes or learning a new language. All of these things will help to build your confidence back up and help you learn to love yourself fully once again.

5. Plan your future.

The past is just that — the past. Other than making amends with the people that you hurt along the way, there is no changing what happened in the past. So instead of focusing on what already happened, focus on what is yet to come. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it, so spend some time mapping out the life you want to have. Set S.M.A.R.T goals, and work towards them. Reaching goals you set for yourself will drastically increase your self-esteem and pride — and you will be setting yourself up for a bright, successful and happy future at the same time.

6. Fake it ‘ till you make it.

There is a lot to be said for ‘faking it ’til you make it’. In other words, use positive affirmations each day. Although you may not believe it at first, the more you say to yourself ”I am a good person who deserves respect and happiness” or ”I love the person I have become” the more you will start to feel that it rings true. Choose at least one or two positive affirmations and write them down. Then make sure you say them to yourself at least once a day.

7. Always remember that You are Worth It.

The most important part of learning to love yourself in addiction recovery is remembering that no matter what happened in the past, you deserve to be happy now, and you deserve to a live a healthy, fulfilling life.

Addiction recovery is not an easy process and many people want to give up frequently, but remember that the end results will be worth every bit of effort that you put in to get there. If you are having trouble building confidence and learning to love yourself in addiction recovery, be sure to reach out to a support group or contact a professional who can help guide you.

Get A Free Consultation
Search

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Alcohol Addiction Treatment
  • Behavioral Addiction
  • Blog
  • Co-occurring Disorders
  • Cocaine Addiction
  • Drug Addiction
  • Food Addiction Treatment
  • Gambling Addiction Treatment
  • Gaming Addiction Treatment
  • Infographic
  • Infosheet
  • Internet Addiction Treatment
  • Prescription Drugs Addiction Treatment
  • Reach
  • Recovery
  • Relapse Prevention
  • Rise
  • Sex Addiction Treatment
  • Trauma and Addiction
  • Video
  • Youth Addiction Treatment
Yaba addiction a drug terrorizing thailand
Blog

Yaba Addiction: A Drug Terrorizing Thailand

All throughout Thai society, people are feeling the effects of an intense form of speed known as Yaba. Yaba which literally means “crazy drug” in Thai was outlawed by the government in 1970. Today, Yaba is one of the most abused drugs in Southeast Asia. Yaba, also known as “Hitler’s drug”, is a mixture of...
08/30/2012
Sobriety Gift Ideas to Celebrate Recovery
Blog | Recovery

Sobriety Gift Ideas to Celebrate Recovery

Unsure what to get that special someone this year who is in addiction recovery? These sobriety gifts will definitely inspire! With Christmas just around the corner, you might be trying to think of the perfect sobriety gift for a loved-one who has or is suffering from addiction, whether or not they are in addiction recovery. There...
12/11/2014
Symptoms of a marijuana addiction
Blog

Symptoms of a Marijuana Addiction

  Are you wondering if a close friend, family member, or even you have an addiction to marijuana? As with other addictions, there are two symptoms that every addict will have: loss of control and the inability to stop. This article will explain the symptoms of a marijuana addiction. An addiction to marijuana is different,...
09/04/2012
The Cabin Logo

The Cabin Rehab Centre
9 Khua Mung, Saraphi District,
Chiang Mai, Thailand 50140

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Linkedin

OUR TREATMENT

  • Alcohol Addiction Treatment
  • Drug Addiction Treatment
  • Disordered Eating Programme
  • Gambling Addiction Treatment
  • Changing Pathways
  • Kintsugi Programme
  • Sunday Excursions
  • Relapse Prevention

ABOUT THE CABIN

  • About Us
  • The Professional Team
  • Why The Cabin
  • Our Accommodation
  • Admissions Process
  • What is Our Client Say?
  • FAQ
  • The Cabin’s Blog
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms and Conditions

CONTACT US

TH: +66 20 385 469
USA/CAN: 1 888 806 6776
UK: 0 808 189 0393
AUS: 1 800 251 994
HK: +852 3008 5841
SG: +65 3158 7621
Download Our Brochure

© 2023 The Cabin Chiang Mai. All Rights Reserved.

Get Help Today!
Getting the Help You Need Today!

If you require further information, Please do not hesitate to contact us.

  • TH : +662 038 5469
  • US : +1 888 806 6776
  • UK : +44 808 189 0393
  • AU : +61 1 800 251 994
  • HK : +852 3008 5841
  • SG : +65 3158 7621
close
Manage Cookie Consent

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Scroll to top
  • Home
  • What We Treat
    • Addiction
      • Alcohol Addiction Treatment
      • Drug Addiction Treatment
      • Amphetamine Addiction Treatment
      • Cocaine Addiction Treatment
      • GHB Addiction Treatment
      • Heroin Addiction Treatment
      • Ecstasy Addiction Treatment
      • Marijuana Addiction Treatment
      • Methamphetamine Addiction Treatment
    • Mental Health
      • Anxiety treatment programme
      • Depression treatment programme
      • Co-treating Addiction and Trauma Disorders
      • Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring Disorders
    • Behavioral Addiction
      • Co-Occurring Disordered Eating Treatment
      • Internet Addiction Treatment
      • Rehab for Gambling Addiction Treatment
  • Our Programme
    • Changing Pathways Addiction Programme
      • Physical Therapy
    • The Kintsugi Programme
    • Disordered Eating Programme
    • Continuing Care
    • Recovery House at The Cabin
    • Sunday Excursions
  • About Our Rehab
    • About the Cabin
    • Accommodation and Facilities
    • Gallery
    • The Cabin Group
    • Our Team
    • Client Testimonials
    • In The Press
    • Blogs
  • Admissions
    • Admissions Process
    • How Rehab Works at The Cabin
    • Online assessment
    • FAQ
    • Family Advice
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Referring a Client