10 Tips to Help Improve Your Self-Esteem After Drug Rehab

When you first come out of drug rehab, chances are that you’re still going to be feeling pretty low. However, if you’re still struggling to rebuild your self-esteem and it’s taking longer than you expected before you feel normal- don’t worry. Even though you’ve been through a great program at a luxury rehab in Florida, it will definitely still take some time for you to heal from the damage done by the drug/alcohol abuse- but you will heal. Here are 10 tips that can help you to rebuild your self-esteem after drug rehab.

1)     You must keep in mind that you must give yourself a break- nothing is going to happen right away. Just like everyone else, you’re much harder on yourself than others are- you are expecting too much from yourself too soon. Keep in mind that getting clean/sober is an amazing accomplishment- now give yourself time to finish the healing process.

2)     Understand that you are going to feel pretty low for some time. The length of time will vary from one person to the next, so there’s no set timetable for how long you should take to get back to “normal.” Therefore, don’t constantly focus on how your self-esteem is holding up. Instead, direct your focus to you recovery- you’ll find this will do wonders to help you out.

3)     Remember that self-esteem comes from inside you- not from those who are around you. While you do want to get help as much as you possibly can, you’re not going to be able to look to others to increase your self-esteem. Still, it is beneficial to hear praise and encouragement from others.

4)     You must pace yourself- take things one day, sometimes one single moment, at a time. It’s critical that you avoid the “all-or-nothing” mentality. This is the best way to sabotage your own progress. You will never increase your self-esteem if you are always holding yourself up to impossible standards.

5)     Accept that the way you feel does not mean that you are a failure. You must understand that a feeling is not a fact- the way you are feeling does not equate to failure.

6)     Turn your negative events/thoughts into positive ones. There are some that will look at their life and see the glass as half empty. While the beginnings of the recovery process after rehab are difficult, the cravings/urges are not the problem- it’s how you deal with them.

7)     Stop criticizing yourself- this is not beneficial and it’s a waste of time. Instead of beating yourself up, you should be doing something that will help your recovery. You will find that your self-esteem will be soaring soon.

8)     Eliminate distortions in your perceptions about yourself, situations, and others. If you make a mistake- admit it and fix it. This will help you to stop the negativity cycle and increase your self-esteem.

9)     Keep your focus on the thought that things will improve with your actions. In addition, think about all those positive things about yourself that have helped you to overcome challenges and focus on the good in others as well.

10)  Remember to take care of yourself- both physically and mentally. This could mean ending those destructive relationships, getting back into physical shape, or a variety of other things.

When you first come out of rehab, you are going to need to rebuild your self-esteem. After all, you’ve been through a lot. Keep in mind, though- don’t be too hard on yourself- give yourself the time you need to heal.