Shoutout to people who try to recover, but it doesn’t ever last long.
Shoutout to the people who want to get better, but they’re struggling to start.
I see so many people comforting those far into recovery who’ve relapsed, saying that it is a normal part of recovery and they will be okay. Which is completely true! But I rarely see that same energy for people who haven’t been clean for long or who relapse often.
It’s hard to get your footing in recovery. Wanting to get better and taking steps to get better are two very different things; one much harder than the other.
Even a quickly failed attempt at recovery is something worth celebrating.
Trying to recover, knowing you probably won’t stay clean for long, and still deciding to try again is something impressive.
The only consistent trait in recovery from anything is relapsing at least once. If you don’t relapse, then you haven’t done the work to heal the cause of your destructive behavior. Relapse is integral to healing.
While it is ideal that these relapses are few and far between, that is something that is just unattainable for some.
I often see comments on tiktok that talk about how annoying it is when someone says “one second clean” or something along those lines, but I couldn’t disagree more. I am such a strong believer that every single second you aren’t acting on self destructive impulses is an accomplishment.
Especially if you’re actively resisting that behavior.
Relapse is normal in recovery. That includes relapses that happen after months of being clean, and relapses that happen within hours of being clean. While you should always strive to go longer and longer without relapsing, any amount of time spent not relapsing is something to be proud of.
Intent matters. Wanting to get better matters, even if you aren’t making much progress, is something to celebrate. Strive to be better, but don’t forget the little victories along the way.