So, you did it! You stepped into recovery and are giving it your all. Yet, something still doesn’t feel right. People often think that getting sober will fix all of their problems, and finding out that it doesn’t always work that way is disappointing. Sobriety is often depicted as being all sunshine and butterflies, yet you can expect to experience challenges, too. After all, you’re still the same person that you were before you got sober. You’re just in a better place to address problems that arise. Wondering why you can’t just be happy in recovery is a sign that you might need to work on your current treatment plan. Naturally, you can’t be happy all the time, but you should be experiencing at least some degree of joy throughout each day.
Your personal happiness is important, and feeling depressed or frustrated could be triggers for cravings. Prioritizing your emotional wellbeing now that you’ve noticed your unhappiness can help you to maintain your sobriety. You’ll also find that focusing on self-improvement can help you to start looking forward to your day. You absolutely can be happy in recovery, but you might need a little help to figure out what is triggering your bad moods.
Take Charge of Your Personal Happiness In Recovery
You can start working on your happiness right away by recognizing that you are in control of your emotions. Everyone experiences some sadness now and then, but you can also do things to help your bad mood dissipate nearly as fast as it comes in. Taking these steps can help to add more happiness to your life.
•Get a mental health assessment
•Establish realistic expectations for sobriety
•Work on unresolved issues in therapy
•Flip the script on negative thinking
•Build a stronger support network
•Explore new hobbies
•Give yourself time
The first thing you might want to explore is the possibility that you could be dealing with a serious mental health condition. Feeling prolonged periods of sadness or apathy could be signs of depression that can get better with treatment. Anger management disorders, anxiety and PTSD are a few more mental health conditions that could be sparking negative emotions. If it’s been awhile since you went to treatment, then you might need to arrange for a mental health assessment to see if you might have developed a condition since you first sought out support. If you already know that you have a mental health condition, then it might also be possible that you need to change your treatment plan.
You might also need to address new stressors that are causing you concern. After leaving rehab, you’re probably facing lots of changes. While these are good, such as finding a job, you might also still be adjusting to things such as working long shifts or dealing with family responsibilities. Talking to a counselor or after care mentor can help you to find ways to reduce the stress levels you are experiencing.
There could also be some degree of resentment as you watch other people go about living their lives. If you feel jealous or angry about having to turn down invitations to social events where you know you’ll face temptation, then it might be time to create a sober support network that includes friends who enjoy doing things without having drugs or alcohol involved. You might reach out to a sober friend and ask them if they want to go to a movie or enjoy a hike outside. Finding ways to have fun can make it easier to embrace the happiness that sobriety can throw your way.
As a final note, you might just need to give yourself some time. Using drugs and alcohol changes how your brain responds to pleasurable events. While your brain might temporarily produce less dopamine when you read a book or engage in a hobby than it used to, it will go back to normal levels. Until then, just keep doing healthy sober activities. One day soon, you’ll realize that you’re smiling with pure joy.
Are you struggling in early sobriety? We can help! Call us today at 844-844-3463.