How to Develop Patience During Recovery

Addiction is more common than you might think — did you know that almost half of Americans have a family member or close friend who has struggled with addiction?

Recovering from addictions isn’t an easy process, and it’s not something that will happen overnight. Patience is so important but isn’t always easy to develop. It’s all too easy to get frustrated, but it’s completely understandable too.

If you’re wondering how to develop patience during recovery, you’re in the right place — keep reading on to find out more.

Start Journaling

Managing feelings in recovery can be tricky, but journaling can be a great help.

You can jot down things that are causing you to feel negative emotions — many people find that getting them down on paper really helps. By journaling, you can track your moods, emotions, and cravings too, which can be a real eye-opening experience, allowing you to identify any triggers.

You don’t always have to focus on the negatives, either. Why not begin or end each day by making a note of three things you’re grateful for?

Practice Waiting

Being patient is difficult, but it can be worth practicing.

One way to do this is to adopt a hobby that involves a lot of waiting around. It might be something related to nature and the outside world, like fishing, birdwatching, or gardening, or maybe an art project that involves a number of steps.

Even something as simple as waiting for dessert or holding out on watching your favorite show could be really helpful.

Begin Mindfulness

When in addiction recovery, it might be worth giving mindfulness a chance too. Ignore the future for a while, and spend some time focusing on the here-and-now — if you find it hard to be patient and keep looking towards the end result, mindfulness can help.

You can practice mindfulness in a number of different ways, so you can try them all and find what’s best for you. Some people find meditation really helpful, but alternatively, you might prefer yoga or even deep breathing!

Be Realistic

You’re doing well, and as this article says, you should take pride in your journey!

Just don’t set yourself unrealistic goals — you’ll only feel worse if you don’t meet them. You will face challenges along the way, it will be difficult, and you will have to work hard. Even just acknowledging this will help you.

A large proportion of people who go through addiction rehab and recovery will relapse during the first year of recovery. It’s good to aim high, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

Release Frustration Healthily

No matter how positive you might feel, everybody needs to release frustration sometimes when practicing patience.

To do so in a healthy way, why not exercise or go for a long walk, or vent to a friend or relative who’s happy to listen? The mindfulness techniques discussed above can also come in useful here.