FEAR IN RECOVERY

One of the biggest issues I have had to overcome in recovery is fear.  I know that fear – particularly fear of change and an unknown future, would keep me trapped in my active alcoholism.  Being “under the influence” was a familiar and comfortable place.  A lot of my fears were based on what I knew would be challenges ahead – and I would have to face them without a crutch.

I also had a lot of fear around recovery itself.  Would it be boring?  Would I fail in my attempt to stay sober?  Would success in recovery mean that others’ expectations of me would be more than I could handle?

I knew that if I allowed fear to get the best of me, the decisions I made going forward would be faulty at best, and more than likely would be based on what I thought others would consider acceptable.

It was important for me to face each fear as it arose and make an effort to overcome it using the tools I had been given in treatment.  If I gave in to fear, I would be unable to create the life I wanted for myself in recovery.  If I avoided issues instead of facing my fear, they would only become that much bigger.

I have found that writing my fears down has helped me put them in perspective.  It has also been beneficial to talk about my worries with those who support my recovery.  I am trying to deal with life as it comes, without overwhelming myself or projecting into the future.  In this way, I have been able to move forward in my recovery with less stress and much more serenity.