Watch Out for Self Sabotaging Behavior in Recovery

The goal isn’t just sobriety in recovery. It’s also to reclaim the life that addiction took from you so you can become your authentic self. It isn’t necessarily easy to achieve this, as recovery can be full of challenges. However, some of these challenges can be self-inflicted, in the form of self sabotaging behavior. If you’ve done this yourself, what’s going on behind the scenes? And how can you get help for your own self destructive behavior?

Self Sabotaging Behavior, Explained

What is self sabotaging behavior, exactly? Healthline.com defines self-sabotaging behavior as specific behaviors or thought patterns that hold you back from doing what you want to do. This kind of behavior is intentional and purposeful in keeping you from reaching success, even if you do want to achieve success (strange, right?). Though you can also be wholly unaware that you’re sabotaging yourself.  

Self sabotage can also be a frequent aspect of the addiction recovery journey. For some, it’s the fears, negative emotions, or struggles associated with staying the course and maintaining sobriety that leads to self-sabotaging behaviors. For others, it’s rooted in self-doubt that true recovery is possible. 

Recognizing the Signs of Self Sabotage

How do you know if you’re sabotaging yourself along your recovery journey? It may be obvious to you, or, alternatively, it could be much more subtle. If you think you may be doing it to yourself, here are some common signs of self sabotage to look out for:

Returning to Substance Use

Reverting back to your addictive substance — or taking on a new substance instead — is classic self sabotaging behavior when in recovery. Using drugs or alcohol again hinders your sobriety momentum and leads to relapse. 

Procrastination

You may know something you need to do that will help your recovery, yet you delay doing it. Whether it’s prioritizing fitness, signing up for a recovery mentor, or joining an alumni group, you choose to wait and put things off, and eventually, never do pursue them at all.

Discounting Your Recovery Efforts

When recovery gets challenging, you may question whether it’s all worth it. Maybe you experience euphoric recall and romanticize past substance use. Eventually, this leads to minimizing the need for recovery or thinking you’ve “figured it out” and don’t need help anymore. Perhaps you may start to think that using again is OK. 

No Longer Taking Care of Yourself

Taking care of yourself (getting proper sleep, practicing hygiene, eating well, exercising) are important to staying healthy. But no longer pursuing self-care can be both self-sabotage and self-destructive behavior in recovery. Without self-care, you’re more vulnerable to relapse. 

Social Isolation

You understand that community is key in recovery, but you choose instead not to seek it. Maybe you drop out of a support group, don’t answer a friend’s phone calls, or stop seeing your therapist. Socially isolating yourself prevents you from getting the accountability, friendship, and support you need to stay the course. 

The Source of Self Sabotaging Behavior

Can you identify with some of the signs of self sabotage in your recovery journey? If so, perhaps you’re wondering why. Pursuing recovery is a worthwhile endeavor, so why mess it up?

Self sabotaging behavior in many ways is tied to addiction’s common root cause: trauma. When you’re struggling with unresolved past trauma, even ACES trauma from your childhood, you may want to find ways to cope. Like using addictive substances, self sabotaging behaviors can be a form of self-medication in recovery, too. 

Sabotaging yourself can also be rooted in fear of your own success or failure. Recovery in your mind may not be worth pursuing if failing at it sounds scarier than not trying at all. On the other hand, succeeding in recovery provides new unknowns. Life change, increased responsibilities, or even the possibility of future failure down the road may drive you to keep your own success at bay because you’re comfortable with what you know.

Struggling with self-limiting beliefs or poor self-esteem can also lead to self sabotaging behavior. You may feel that you’re unworthy or a bad person as you’ve internalized common stigmas associated with addiction. Engaging in self destructive behavior is a way to match how you feel about yourself with the actions you take. 

Overcome Self Destructive Behavior in Recovery 

Are you engaging in self sabotaging behaviors? You don’t have to prevent yourself from achieving the sobriety and long-term healing you deserve. It’s time to fight back against self sabotage. At Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN, our aftercare and alumni programs can help you navigate your recovery in a supportive, caring environment. And our trauma-informed care is here for you if you think you may have unresolved past trauma that still needs to be addressed. To learn more, contact our team today. 

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source https://integrativelifecenter.com/recovery/watch-out-for-self-sabotaging-behavior-in-recovery/