Sobriety can seem like a scary prospect. After all, we have spent so much time in a state of addiction that we don’t know any other way to live. For most of us, drugs and alcohol were a way to control our emotions and problems—without these substances, what are we to rely on to make ourselves feel better? There is a concept in 12-Step recovery fellowships that we take our recovery “one day at a time.” We can easily become overwhelmed by our fear of a future that we cannot control. Instead, we simply focus on the day at hand or the present moment, without worrying about what may or may not happen tomorrow, next month, or years from now. In a state of addiction, we were constantly in a “fight-or-flight” mentality that kept us in a constant state of fear. In sobriety, however, we find that by cultivating a state of serenity through engaging in a recovery program, we no longer feel threatened by the world. We try to remember that all fear is in the future, and therefore does not exist in the present moment, so there is no reason to waste our time or energy getting caught up in fear-bases thoughts. We try to keep a sense of faith that everything will work out for the best in sobriety, and if not, we will be able to handle any situation without resorting to the temporary relief provided by drugs or alcohol. “LIFE” can be a helpful acronym to remember in early recovery; “LIFE” can either stand for “Living in Fear Everyday” or “Living in Faith Everyday”. The choice is ours whether to allow our thoughts and actions to continue to be controlled by the fear of a future that may or may not happen, or to cultivate a sense of faith that we will be alright no matter what happens. Fear of losing what we have, not getting what we want, or what others might think of us, keeps us from being able to thoroughly and fearlessly progress on our path to recovery from the disease of addiction.
Fear doesn’t have to be a part of your story. Instead, you can seek help now and begin building a future of hope, faith, and courage. Oceanfront Recovery, a men’s treatment facility in Orange County, California, offers the opportunity to achieve sobriety in a beautiful beachfront setting. Oceanfront’s caring and compassionate staff are dedicated to providing you all the tools needed enter your personal journey of recovery from addiction and alcoholism. For more information about treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
