3 Ways to Beat the Barriers Holding You Back

Smooth sailing is not on the horizon just because an individual is in recovery from addiction. Life happens with its ups and downs and sometimes people fail to overcome barriers which can lead to relapse. Facing and moving past the barriers can help individuals move forward in a positive way.

Don’t Get Stuck

When people face a barrier in recovery, getting stuck can be dangerous. Maladaptive behaviors are still present and may even lead to another addiction to cope with the stress of recovery. “Dry drunk” syndrome may appear in which people behave the same way an individual with addiction does even though drugs or alcohol are not longer being used.

Common Barriers

The following are some of the more common barriers to success in recovery:

• An individual is ambivalent towards recovery
• Some people think giving up drugs or alcohol is enough to produce a successful recovery
• A high number of people with addiction suffer from dual diagnosis (mental health problem and addiction). Both need treatment to make recovery successful
• Underlying issues have not been dealt with which led to addiction

Moving Forward

A person who wants to move forward in recovery must find a way to beat barriers which hold the individual back from being successful. The following are three ways to put positive goals into practice for beating barriers of addiction recovery:

Beginners mindset

A lifetime of recovery begins with a mindset focused on learning and growth. If a person holds too strongly to current beliefs and opinions, it may prevent the individuals from gaining new knowledge that aids in recovery. When people are willing to take a beginner’s mindset, he or she will:

• Focus on attending meetings and staying clean
• Learn from beginners to keep progressing
• Meet with a sponsor or mentor to learn strategies for growth

Don’t stay stuck

The most important thing an individual can recognize is the fact he or she is stuck. Failure to recognize this can be a problem until a person recognizes and is willing to fix the issue. Starting a journal can help people track progress and notice when things have gone off course. Asking for help from a mentor, sponsor or loved one can help a person recognize when something has gone wrong and work to correct course before things veer too far off the path.

Use resources wisely

Recovery groups are a great resource for some individuals in recovery. Other people are likely to face the same situation and may be willing to offer helpful suggestions in dealing with it. Making use of addiction recovery resources can also allow a person to learn more about common barriers to be avoided which builds awareness before anything bad happens.

The main way to overcome barriers is to recognize an issue has come up and to reach out for help. Don’t wait until relapse happens to seek support when things become difficult.

If you are struggling in recovery, know that it is common and you are not alone. Hired Power can help you realign your goals and strategize for a long, healthy recovery. Call us to find out how to get started.