The power of positive affirmations: Boosting Self-esteem in Recovery

Rebuilding Lives: Harnessing the Power of Positive Affirmations in Addiction Recovery

Apart from disturbance whose roots are biological, I cannot think of a single psychological problem, – from anxiety and depression, to underachievement at school or at work, to fear of intimacy, happiness, or success to alcohol or drug abuse, to spouse battering or child molestation, to Co-dependency and sexual disorders, to passivity and aimlessness, to suicide and crimes of violence – that is not traceable, at least in part, to the problem of deficient self- esteem. Of all the judgements we pass in life, none is as important as the one we pass on ourselves.

“But does anything take more courage – is anything more challenging and sometimes frightening -than to live by our own mind, judgement and values? Is not self-esteem a summons for the hero within us?” Self-Esteem is not only about being confident in our ability to cope with life’s challenges. It is also about believing that we deserve to be successful and happy and asserting our needs and wants. And this second part has everything to do with loving ourselves.

I often talk about the 3 key components of Loving Yourself:

1. Self-Acceptance

2. Self-Compassion and

3. Self-Empowerment.

In a nut shell Positive Affirmations!!

In active addiction, we tend to get into unhelpful thinking habits, and think negatively about ourselves and situations. Using positive statements can help us develop a new attitude to ourselves and our situations. Using positive affirmations is an excellent skill in addiction recovery. When a person struggles with a substance use disorder, it is easy for them to get caught up in negative thoughts about themselves, their addiction, and their future. Positive affirmations can help them to replace these negative thoughts with more positive ones, such as “I am strong enough to overcome this” or “I am worthy of a happy and healthy life.”

Drug and alcohol addiction damages self-esteem and confidence. Using positive affirmations helps to rebuild these by reminding the individual of their strengths and accomplishments. Positive affirmations could be “I am a survivor” or “I am capable of achieving my goals.”

It is important to choose affirmations that are meaningful to you and that you can believe in. You can write your own affirmations or find them online or in books. The most important thing is to repeat your affirmations regularly, especially when you are feeling challenged or tempted to return to substance use.
Choose a statement from those below, or make one that means more to you, and repeat, repeat, repeat throughout the day, every day, of every week, of every month. You might want to make or print out a card with your affirmation, and carry it with you. For the positive affirmations to work, you must use it whenever you notice you have that negative thought – immediately turn it around by using your affirmation.

Use a statement that starts with “I” and use the present tense. See the examples below – choose one, adapt one, or make up your own. Make it something broadly realistic, even if you don’t believe it right now.

# I am strong
# I have strength
# I am determined and successful
# I am a good and worthwhile person
# I am a unique and special person
# I have inner strength and resources
# I am confident and competent
# I hold my head up high
# I look good because I am good
# People like me – I am a likeable person and I like myself
# I care about others, I am needed and worthwhile
# I am a loving person
# I have a lot to be proud of
# I have all that I need
# I am in control of my life
# I can achieve anything I want to achieve
# I make wise decisions based on what I know
# I’m moving towards my goals
# I accept myself as a unique and worthwhile person
# My life has meaning and purpose
# I am in control of my choices
# I am strong and healthy
# I am calm and confident
# I have many options and can make wise decisions
# Everything is getting better every day
# I am calm and relaxed
# I am healthy and have all that I need
# Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I will take notice of the many
positive things this day has to offer
# I live a healthy and positive lifestyle
# I know I can master anything if I practice it continually
# I have my wise mind – I can seek inner guidance whenever I need to
# My life purpose can be whatever I choose it to be
# All is well, right here, right now

Here are some tips for using positive affirmations in addiction recovery:

1. Make your affirmations personal. Use “I” and “me” instead of “you” or “they.”
2. Keep your affirmations simple and positive.
3. Repeat your affirmations often, especially when you are feeling challenged.
4. Write your affirmations down and put them in places where you will see them often, such as on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator.
5. Meditate on your affirmations or say them out loud before you go to sleep or after you wake up.
6. Share your affirmations with a trusted friend or family member

Stories of Recovery

• The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
  Oliver VG
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• On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
  Johan B
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• I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
  Carla S
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• "Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
  Angelique J
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