Emotional Sobriety
Emotional sobriety is about being emotionally healthy enough to cope with the normal emotions of life.
A person struggling with addiction will misuse their drug of choice or use habitual behaviour, in order to cope with what life brings them. Just because the substance is removed doesn’t mean life becomes instantly wonderful, internal work needs to be done. Learning how to recognise and manage emotions in a healthy way is essential to maintaining sobriety. Identifying triggers and resentments are paramount in recovery maintenance and in freeing yourself from being controlled by an emotional state.
No matter how happy or sad you are, no matter how hard life can be – you will be able to cope with life on life’s terms. Successful recovery maintenance requires the ability to observe and regulate one’s own behaviour, a basic ability to cope with life’s everyday stressors, and conflicts and not turning to any substance or activity to escape feelings. It means not getting carried away by strong emotions and being able to have a positive and meaningful relationship with others.
Recovery from addiction can initially feel like an emotional roller coaster – dangerous feelings of anger and resentments, loneliness, fear and anxiety, shame, boredom and restlessness can be overpowering. Learning how to recognise these feelings in yourself and finding methods to cope are essential in recovery from addiction. Removing the substance is not enough, the important question is “how can I lead a happier healthier life?”
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Whatever your reason for seeking counselling or therapy, I believe in a non-judgmental and transformative way of working that is tailored to meet and fulfil your particular needs, at this time of your life. In my experience, lasting positive change really is possible
Addiction
Addiction is a multi-faceted condition which is often measured, in part, by the impact it makes on a person’s quality of life. It is treatable and can be successfully managed.
Trauma
Finding somebody to talk with about your feelings rather than turning to alcohol or drugs, or other addictive behavior.
Codependency
Codependents will put their energy into helping for others. We need to strive for a balance between helping others and taking care of ourselves.
