Importance of Motivation in Addiction Recovery
How important is it to have motivation in addiction recovery? Addiction recovery is hard, and on rough days, where cravings or urges are high, it is important to separate the disorder's voice from the authentic/wise mind voice. On days where you are struggling in sobriety or mental health recovery, it is crucial to have intentions, motivations and goals to shift the perspective to help you through the struggles. It is important to realize the journey is all about the work, and every moment you are fighting for recovery matters.
Motivation in Addiction Recovery
Motivation is crucial to recovery. My video below shares a recent inspiration I had and a new way to apply the lessons of recovery to my other pursuits in life.
Some of my motivations:
- My life
- My health
- My goals in life
- My family
- My friends
- Living a full, authentic life
- My desire and love of traveling
- To continue to grow, learn, and become a more well rounded person
- I want to go to Italy
This list continues to grow, change, and develop and that is the wonderful thing about motivations! It is important to write down and keep a list of what truly motivates you.
What Motivates You?
APA Reference
Sebelius, K.
(2011, September 22). Importance of Motivation in Addiction Recovery, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 14 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/debunkingaddiction/2011/09/importance-of-motivation-in-recovery
Author: Kendra Sebelius
I am a crack addict, clean and in recovery for 3 yrs and 5 months. I have to use motivation and wise mind to stay sober one day at a time and to remind me why I am staying sober. I have to use wise mind so I wont act on impulse and my emotions anymore cause as an addict, I with a mental illness have done this my entire life. I am 46 yrs old now and I am tired of living in chaos from reacting always to emotions. Reacting to emotions and not wanting to feel them anymore is what led me to wanting to get high and numb, which led me to becoming an addict for 10 yrs. My motivation now is getting my son's forgiveness and trust and love back. This is my wise mind.
Motivation in recovery is key. I began with the idea of getting my children back as a domestic charge was part of my bottom. I know that this motivation was strong enough for me to begin down what has become a long road of self discovery. Ultimately, I learned I had to recover for myself. If I cannot do the things it takes to maintain my sobriety, I will lose anything I place before it. That said, I have found a purposeful life, full of meaning. I have returned to my innocence by reemploying hobbies I had enjoyment in since I was a young pre-teen. Prior to my full blown addiction, finding the purity of my youth. I had left those things when my addiction took over my life,and finding them again has been another key daily motivation as well.