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How to Deal with the Fear of Failure during the Course of Recovery

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Recovery is hard enough with the emotional roller coaster the addict endures, but the fear of failure can be crippling. Fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons people relapse. It is important to know what these fears are and how to combat them.

There are a few ways to deal with the fear of failure during the course of recovery. Help is just a phone call away. If you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction and needs help, call 800-948-8417 Question iconWho Answers? to speak with a caring specialist that can assist you.

A Fear of Failure

Fear of Failure

Joining a support group will help you feel less alone in the recovery process.

When an addict returns to their life, everything will be new and different in their environment. During recovery, the individual was likely told to let go of old friends and acquaintances, which for many means they will be alone a majority of the time. It is still vital to keep them out of his or her life to reduce the chances of a relapse. This feeling of loneliness can cause the individual to feel a fear of failure.

A fear of failure is common among recovering addicts and it usually involves a fear of the past coming back in the present. A fear of rejection from love or jobs is understandable and the lists of ways to fail may seem endless. The fear can cause paranoia and something that he or she may deem a sign of failure may not have occurred to their peers.

According to California State University, fear consists of overstimulation, cognitive incongruity, and response unavailability. A recovery from addiction can cause these events, as a person is flooded with information, has difficulty reconciling with their lives after a traumatic experience, and when he or she don’t know how to handle a rough situation.

The Solution to the Fear

In order to get over this fear, it is important to set up reminders that he or she did achieve their goal of surviving rehab, which gave them the tools they need to remain sober. These reminders will help to solidify the individual’s resilience, which according to SAMHSA, gives him or her the ability to cope with life’s challenges and to be better prepared for stressful situations.

To overcome the fear of what will be, the individual needs to let go of what was and celebrate their achievements in becoming sober.

To combat the feeling of loneliness, most rehabs recommend enrolling in a 12-step program that will allow the individual to jumpstart recovery. Test out groups to find out which one works best and talk to people who are going through similar situations to theirs.

These groups are made for support and to fight the feelings of loneliness that occur.

The fear of failure can be terrifying, but it is important to know how to combat these feelings to continue the sobriety in the individual’s life. A fear of failure can make the individual fear the past coming back to haunt them.

However, he or she should join a 12-step group to connect with those who are going through a similar situation and set up reminders of the achievements he/she gained by going through recovery.

If a fear of failure is plaguing you, call 800-948-8417 Question iconWho Answers? to get the assistance you need to find someone who can help you to overcome it.

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