How to Build Motivation in Addiction Recovery
Motivation is an important tool in your recovery toolbox, but since willpower is finite, how do you maintain high motivation during the stress of recovery? At The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation in Charleston, SC, we provide a safe, structured environment designed to help you build and maintain motivation so that you can make the most out of your sobriety. Check out how below.
If you or a loved one need an environment to help from alcohol addiction, consider the sober living homes offered at The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation. Contact us to learn more about our proven track record of helping people find a sober and fulfilling life.
Why Motivation Matters in Recovery
Recovery is tough, and it certainly takes a lot of support and willingness to push through hard things. Motivation helps us stay consistent, rise to challenges, and gives us enough energy to make the right choices. Because it’s so important, everyone in recovery should learn how to build it and how to maintain it.
In fact, studies show that people with more self-motivation succeed more often in recovery than those without it. Those who seek treatment and are ready to face what comes next find the journey less stressful than those forced into a treatment center. Self-motivation is a poignant tool.
Why Motivation May Drop Once in Recovery
Once sober, you may experience harsh emotions that you have tried to avoid by using substances. Once in this state, you may feel you can “handle” substance use, or think that you were overreacting by choosing treatment. Other scenarios you may experience include anger towards yourself and others, as well as frustration with the time it takes to feel “normal” again. If you start with low motivation and no support system, these feelings and more can lead you to relapse.
When you view recovery as embracing the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, rather than a negative, you can increase motivation. Even small changes, like reducing your alcohol intake, can have a powerful impact on your physical and mental health. If you’re curious about the ways your body responds to drinking less, check out our blog 5 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Drink Less for an inspiring look at how your body and mind start to heal.
Signs Your Motivation is Dropping:
- Agitation
- Depression
- Feeling sorry for yourself
- Having unrealistic expectations at the get-go
- Lying about your sobriety
- Falling out of routines
How Our Sober Living Homes Encourage Motivation
At The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation, our mission is to provide you with accountability and a safe place to heal. We design our homes to help you stay motivated in a few ways. Some of these are:
1. A Safe, Supportive Environment
Our sober living homes are SCARR-certified, with the highest standards of safety, cleanliness, and structure. Residents live alongside peers who are also committed to sobriety, creating a built-in support network so you can find encouragement every day.
2. Twelve-Step Programming
The 12-step program, as outlined by Alcoholics Anonymous, has a long track record of helping people with addiction find solace and rebuild their lives. We use these steps together to help create a clear path to sobriety.
3. Communal Support and Accountability
Isolation is one of the top reasons that some people with addiction relapse. It’s important to have like-minded, understanding people around you. By building friendships with others in a sober living home, you can stay motivated together and never feel alone.
4. Structure and Purpose
Setting goals, seeking employment, and taking on responsibilities are all ways to help you stay motivated every day and move toward a new, better life. When you fill every day with enjoyable things that help you feel back in control, you can reinforce motivation.
Start Your Recovery Journey in Charleston, SC
If you’re ready to build lasting motivation for your sober journey and find a way to feel free from addiction, then The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation is here to help. Located in Charleston or Mount Pleasant, our sober living homes are safe, clean, structured environments that will encourage you to succeed. Contact us today to find out how we might help you.
