A grateful addict will never use… Have you ever heard of the phrase?

Why would an addict be grateful? What does this really mean? 

Being a Grateful Addict in Recovery

The road to recovery from addiction is tough, being grateful for one’s current situation is tougher.

There’s not much one can think of to be grateful right off the bat if one is having addiction problems. 

That is what it seems like if one focuses only on the negative side of life. 

So, ask yourself how gratitude will be helpful to realize your path to recovery.

When you’re struggling with addiction, it may obscure your outlook towards life. 

Of course, you know that your addiction has caused so much damage to your life that you get fixated on the negative effects it had on you. 

What if you look the other way around, the positive things in your life? This is where gratitude plays a crucial role in your recovery. 

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, readiness to show appreciation for, and to return kindness.

How Being A Grateful Addict Brings Positive Changes To Your Life

Gratitude isn’t just about the words you utter to affirm that you appreciate the things you have. 

Gratitude comes with action. It’s not just something you say to express thankfulness. 

To be grateful is to be joyful in the plain things life brings to you, despite the adversity you face.

Gratitude removes your fixation on the negativities, it widens your outlook on life. 

Once this happens, it will be easier to get your life back on track. You learn to accept the situation you are in and get a workaround for the problem you face.

6 Ways To Be A Grateful Addict In Recovery

It is a challenge to be grateful when things aren’t going your way. This is what you will feel on your road to recovery.

To help you be grateful, keep these six things in mind:

1. Set your mind on achieving your goals

Set goals geared toward recovery and keep your mind focus on attaining these.

This can be anything from fixing broken ties, reconnecting with your friends whom you lost touch with, or your family whom you had quarreled with.

It can also be about finishing school or landing a job.

Anything that would bring forth good things in your life, positive changes that will help you overcome your plight.

2. Focus on improving yourself

You may have a tendency to wish you had another person’s life instead. You may think they all had it going for themselves.

Don’t compare your life to them, you don’t know what is going on with their lives.

We have our own battles, every person has a demon to conquer, so focus on overcoming your personal struggles.

Keep in heart, the best life you can have is the one you’ve got, just work on it and you’ll see the good things you have.

3. Recognize the importance of having a support system

Knowing that you aren’t alone in your road to recovery can somehow lighten your feeling.

It is a burden to face your problems alone and to have someone caring for you can be an uplifting feeling.

There are people out there who care for you, even if you think there aren’t.

4. Be kind and appreciative to the people around you

It’s better to give than to receive, they say, and this is true.

It’s a fulfilling moment when you get to make someone’s day better.

Don’t feel shy about expressing how grateful you are to others.

5. Be mindful

Mindfulness helps you focus on the now, the present; This is the only time you have under control.

Remember, you can’t change the past nor predict the future; the present is right at your fingertips, you just have to dictate how you want it to go.

Think of what you have right now and how thankful you are for these. This can be very helpful in focusing on the present.

6. Start a gratitude journal

Writing out the things you are grateful for has positive effects on you.

Take note, you can’t recall every good thing you are grateful for when you are feeling bad.

Open up your journal, read out all the things you listed can keep your mind off the negativity you’re feeling at the moment.

Having said that, you as a grateful addict will realize how there are still good things in your life, you just don’t notice them recently.

Find Support From Willow Place for Women

Just because a pandemic is keeping us from our normal routines, it doesn’t mean we will take our mental health for granted. 

Especially if you’re dealing with alcohol and drug addiction.

If you’re having trouble speaking with your family and friends about your addiction recovery… 

Or have already spoken to your parents about your addiction… 

We offer outpatient therapy and treatment services for women living with substance use disorder.

During our clients’ time in treatment, women in our care can learn how to implement a number of skills so they can manage the symptoms of these issues. One of these helpful skills is gratitude in recovery.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us, Willow Place for Women is here to help.