Achieving progress, not perfection, is a mainstay of addiction recovery. It’s a saying that many people new to sobriety find difficult to hear, because many alcoholics and addicts are perfectionists.
It might be hard to believe that a person who spent years in the prison of addiction stresses perfectionism. However, many people who struggle with drugs and alcohol hold themselves to unreasonably high standards. Such individuals put extreme pressure on themselves to the point of exhaustion.
If things do not go exactly as one plans, then it can be a justification for escape via drugs and alcohol. If a perfectionist fails to achieve the desired goal, it creates a sense of enormous displeasure. Getting drunk or high may be one of the methods a person has for coping with falling short in life.
What’s more, many perfectionists don’t know that they are one; you might be a perfectionist and not know it either. It’s essential to have an understanding of the kind of person you are in recovery; it could help you prevent a relapse.
Mistakes Happen in Recovery
Do you feel a need to be flawless? Are you prone to setting unrealistically high standards for yourself? Are you criticizing your performance regularly? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you may struggle with perfectionism.
Another staple of perfectionism is craving the appraisal and approval of others. If you fall short of a goal or make a mistake, it could bother you in unbearable ways. It’s vital to remember that nobody is perfect, and errors are a part of life. So, be sure to check yourself when you get down on yourself; a failure to do so could result in relapse.
Now that you are in recovery setting realistic goals for yourself is essential to keeping balance in your life. It’s good to want to succeed and make progress, but recovery is not a competition, nor is it a race.
Always look for the similarities you share with your peers and avoid thinking that you are better or worse than others in your support network.
Each person is fallible; it’s alright to fail from time to time. What matters is that you stand back up and take accountability for your actions. Nobody works a perfect program, that is a fact.
There will be days where you will need to take a personal inventory and maybe have to make amends for an action or statement. It’s a sign of growth if you are comfortable taking responsibility for a mishap in life. Moreover, never hide when you are wrong; promptly admit to your sponsor or trusted peer when it happens.
Secrets can eat you alive and stand in the way of continued progress in recovery. Each day, remind yourself that progress is much more important than perfection.
Southern California Addiction Rehab
At Hope By The Sea, our highly trained team can help your loved one break the cycle of addiction and adopt a program of lasting recovery. Please contact us today to learn more about our programs and evidence-based therapies. Hope Starts Here!
