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Reducing Guilt and Shame in Recovery through Inpatient Rehab

You come into rehab with this level of guilt and shame that seemingly cannot be overcome. You try and try, but you struggle with the past and the situations that you can’t change. But inpatient rehab can help you to learn how to overcome what happened in the past and effectively cope with the shame that you suffered as an addict.

Your first step is to accept that addiction is a chronic disease not a moral problem. It’s not something that makes you weak or otherwise incompetent. As soon as YOU accept that your addiction is a disease but that you can receive treatment for the disease, you’ll be on your way to recovery and healing.

Inpatient rehab can help you overcome guilt and prevent the shame that you’re feeling from derailing your recovery efforts. Call our helpline at 1-888-605-7779 today to find out more about how rehab can help you.

Why Does Guilt Follow You?

It’s common to be ashamed of who you have become or of the things you did as an addict. But is “who” you have become “who” you will always be? If you’re feeling guilty about the things you have done during your life addicted to drugs or alcohol, you’re not alone! Sadly, the stigma of addiction creates guilt and shame which prevents the vast majority of those addicted from seeking the professional help necessary for recovery.

Guilt anchors to you like a backpack filled with heavy weights. It makes it feel impossible to accept what has happened and even more impossible to overcome the past transgressions that have led you to treatment. But why? Why do you hold all that guilt?

According to Psychology Today, “if shame is a feeling of not being worthy of connection, then guilt is a feeling that we can make ourselves worthy.” One thing we know for certain when it comes to guilt is that it’s not an “easy” topic. People feel guilt for all different things and the way that we process it is different for everyone.

How Shame and Guilt Derail Recovery Efforts

The shame and guilt you carry around with you can jeopardize every recovery effort you have in place. Paired with stress, triggers, cravings and the constant urge to use—you’re stuck in a situation where your recovery could be completely derailed before you even realize what hit you.

What can you do to STOP the guilt and START your healing journey? How can you drop the baggage that’s hindering your recovery efforts and KNOW that you’re moving forward without an ounce of shame in your game?

You need help! Call our helpline at 1-888-605-7779 today and we’ll connect you with a support specialist that can assist you in coping with the guilt that you’re holding because of your addiction. We’ll guide you through the healing process and set you on a path to recovery.

Addiction destroys your self-esteem. If you already struggled with low self-esteem prior to using drugs or alcohol, then feelings of shame are likely to stick with you well into your recovery efforts. Often times addiction also leads to feelings of reduced self-worth. The physical, psychological and emotional trauma that occurs before and during an addiction to drugs or alcohol can leave a lasting impact on your ability to cope.

Many victims feel like addiction is their fault. Like the trauma or other harmful experiences that occurred during an addiction are the result of their actions. Sometimes this is true, but more often, the trauma that occurs prior to an addiction or during an addiction has nothing to do with any “fault” of the addict. In fact, the addict (YOU) is are a victim of these situations and the guilt you carry is usually due to low self-esteem.

How Inpatient Rehab Helps

Through rehabilitation you can learn to drop the guilt and shame that is hindering your recovery. Many programs are offered in inpatient rehab to assist you in the healing process including:

  • Yoga and meditation to help you relax.
  • Journaling to keep track of feelings and to help you to understand WHY you feel the way you do.
  • Suicide prevention and medications to assist in the healing from depression, anxiety or other psychological disorders.
  • Support to guide you through the powerful emotions that are driving your guilt and shame.
  • Counseling and therapy to help you learn how to cope with the past, prepare for the future and live sober day-by-day.

It’s important to note that guilt is not something you have to be burdened with for your rest of your life. Inpatient rehab will help you to cope with guilt, overcome it and move on with your life. Once you get involved in daily therapy and counseling, you can take additional proactive steps toward ridding yourself of the guilt that you’re carrying.

What’s next? Call our helpline at 1-888-605-7779 and we’ll connect you with an inpatient rehab center that can help you get started on the road to recovery.