Self-Love in Sobriety: The Importance of Loving You
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It is universally agreed that practicing self-love in sobriety is a good thing, yet many people find this a difficult task to actually muster up in their daily life. This statement does not just apply to those individuals in recovery, but actually relates to people from all walks of life, with all sorts of afflictions, from just about everywhere on the planet.
This may sound like an exaggeration but in reality, very few of us engage in behaviors that are healthy for us or promote our ability to love ourselves, and even fewer of us recognize the fact that underlying all of our insecurities and fears is a deep-seated self-rejection that must be met with self-compassion and love.
Sobriety, Low Self Esteem, and Self Hate
Many people struggle with negative emotions and self-doubt, and can find it difficult to cultivate self-love in their normal life. Although this attitude of self-hate is prevalent in a great majority of the population, for those who suffer from alcoholism or addiction, not addressing it could have devastating consequences.
An individual who does not love themselves, and does not suffer from addiction, can go through their entire life without learning how to engage in self-love, albeit they will be miserable.
But for those people who have substance abuse issues, their negative thinking and self-hatred could result in a relapse back into addiction, which could result in incarceration, severe physical and mental health issues, or even death.
So let’s take a look at ways that you can begin to engage in self-love in recovery, and how you can learn to shake off the self-deprecating thoughts and feelings that may have followed you, unknowingly, most of your life.
10 Simple Ways to Practice Self Care in Sobriety
When it comes to working on your own self-love, it can be difficult to develop compassion and self-confidence without the right guidance. Fortunately, there are several simple ways that you can begin finding self-love in addiction recovery.
Some steps that you can take to build self-love on your recovery journey include:
1. Seek Treatment
The best thing you can do when creating self-love is to seek professional help to overcome your substance use disorder. There are many addiction treatment options available to those who are ready to begin a new life of sobriety.
Overcoming stigma and getting the help you need to establish good habits and stay sober can be scary, but it is a top priority on your road to recovery. There is no shame in needing help, and you do not need to feel bad about seeking treatment, as this will be your best chance to break free from addiction and find true self-love.
2. Attend Therapy to Maintain Sobriety
When it comes to achieving self-understanding and forgiveness, talking to a therapist can be life-changing. Therapy is designed to help you uncover deep-seated beliefs that you have about yourself that may be contributing to your inability to love yourself.
A licensed therapist can also help you discover any underlying mental illness that may be contributing to your self-loathing and negative thoughts. By attending therapy you give yourself the best possible chance at discovering and changing these beliefs.
Working with a mental health professional can help you forgive yourself for your past mistakes, improve your self-worth, reinforce good habits, and become a better person in your recovery process.
3. Eat Healthily
The old saying, “Your body is a temple” is not simply fodder, but becomes more and more true the older you get. If you eat well and treat your body well, you will begin to appreciate yourself more and more, because you will understand the importance of taking care of yourself.
Showing your body the respect it deserves and making sure to spend time on preparing healthy and balanced meals for yourself is a great way to practice self-care and boost your energy and motivation for the day.
4. Exercise
Going along with eating well, exercising on a regular basis is a great way to learn how to love yourself. Not only will it help you experience an overall sense of well-being that cannot be achieved by other means, but also you will begin to feel more and want to take better care of yourself.
Working out can actually increase dopamine and serotonin in the brain, which are the chemicals responsible for happiness and pleasure, making it a key element for any balanced self-care routine.
5. Build Healthy Relationships
It is almost impossible to engage in self-love when you have unhealthy relationships floating around you. This does not necessarily mean relationships with the opposite sex, but rather could simply mean friendships or family relationships that are just not good for you and your sobriety.
By ending or setting boundaries within these relationships, participating in support groups, and understanding that you do not need people in your life who are not good for you, you will begin to love yourself more. Once you learn how to set healthy boundaries and recognize the love you deserve, you will be able to make better friends and create a healthy support system.
6. Educate Yourself
Educating yourself on addiction and recovery is a great way to engage in self-love, even if you do not like to read. Oftentimes we want to just binge-watch Netflix, which while fun, is actually detrimental to our well-being.
On the other hand, reading and taking the time to explore new topics allows you to educate yourself on the numerous stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding addiction, which is great for learning to love yourself, and also allows you to slow down your mind, which is important for many people in recovery.
7. Meditate and Practice Mindfulness
Meditating is a great way to practice loving yourself, as it not only allows you to connect with something greater than yourself, but it also promotes well-being and happiness. When you start with positive thoughts, this makes it easier to practice positive self-talk.
Making a gratitude list, journaling, or taking a moment to breathe and be in the present moment are all great ways to practice mindfulness in recovery, and are things that can be done anytime, anywhere.
8. Participate in Your Hobbies
If you have a hobby then a great way to learn to love yourself is by engaging in activities related to that hobby. While enjoying ourselves can feel like a foreign concept with all of the responsibilities that life brings, taking time for ourselves is integral in the act of learning to love yourself.
Those who are struggling with addiction often spend a lot of time thinking about their next fix. By filling your time with enjoyable activities, you can make sure that you are staying on track with and committed to your recovery.
9. Practice Self-Reflection
Perhaps there is no better way to learn to love yourself than through self-reflection. Many people believe that looking back on the past can be unproductive, but this is not necessarily always the case.
Whether you choose to do this through prayer, quiet contemplation, or talking things over with others, looking at your past self with love and curiosity, rather than shame or judgment, is one of the best ways that you can allow yourself to grow as a person.
10. Help Others Achieve Sobriety
Lastly, helping others is a great way to learn to love yourself. Oftentimes we focus on ourselves when it comes to practicing self-love, but in reality, an individual who loves themselves will be able to freely give and help others.
Helping others builds self-esteem and it also allows you to feel good about who you are. This can also be a great relapse prevention technique. As you help push and remind others why they have dedicated themselves to their sobriety, so too can you remember what your recovery goals are.
Freedom From Addiction: Get a Path to Sobriety Today
If you or a loved one is suffering from alcoholism or addiction, understand that you are not alone in your struggles! If you are ready to change your life and finally be free of your addiction, then Find Addiction Rehabs can help.
We can give you the jump-start you need in order to experience the long-term recovery you have always wanted. Our extensive network of treatment programs is unique in that they don’t just treat the addiction, but rather they treat the whole person, so if you are interested in finding out more information, please do not hesitate to give us a call today!
Deborah Tayloe is a freelance writer specializing in health and sciences. Deborah earned a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English, accompanied by a Spanish minor. Her writing expertise allows her to craft engaging, impactful articles to help people be well.
In addition, she holds a fully accredited Certificate of Natural Medicine and is a certified Herbalist. Through her understanding of complementary medicine, Deborah helps medical professionals give people the information they need to embrace natural approaches to wellness.
When she’s not working, Deborah trains for 5K races and advocates for animal rights.
Medically Reviewed By
My diverse experience encompasses positions at Nurse on Call Home Healthcare, Trilogy Home Healthcare, Jupiter Medical Center, and Lawnwood Regional Medical Center. I've specialized in pain management, pediatrics, and cardiovascular care, ensuring that each patient receives the best possible care.
