It is only natural for people to compare their progress with others in recovery. However, comparison in recovery can be harmful to one’s mental health. Comparing oneself can be especially damaging in recovery as it can stall one’s progress and lead to self-destructive thoughts. Thus, an individual in recovery must gain a more positive mindset and effectively shift their focus. Although certain strategies can help, participating in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) at Avalon Malibu can be beneficial. This is especially true in early recovery, an especially vulnerable stage.
How Comparison in Recovery Can Be Harmful
As we’ve mentioned, comparing oneself to others can be dangerous and potentially hinder one’s healing progress. It’s good to remember that everyone starts from a different place, has a different mindset, and has a unique medical history. The type of diagnosis and severity of one’s condition can also impact an individual’s path to recovery. Each individual’s experience in recovery is truly unique.
For example, although two people may be in recovery from addiction, one may also have a co-occurring health condition. A dual diagnosis can be more difficult to recover from and manage on an ongoing basis. The type of treatment each person undertakes also can influence their level of progress. Different programs will affect each individual differently. What works for one person may not work as well for another. For some people, it takes more time to find the route to recovery that truly works.
Knowing this, even though someone else may also be in recovery, their story and experience will always be different. Comparing oneself to others can lead to negative emotions, discouragement, or a lack of motivation. Unfortunately, these emotions can make a person more susceptible to relapse.
The Importance of Shifting Focus
Early recovery can be a sensitive stage. It is common for a person to relapse within the first year after achieving their treatment goals. A poor mindset often leads to a poor outcome. According to NIH News in Health, research indicates that having a positive perspective on life can benefit an individual’s overall state of health. The development of certain skills may also improve an individual’s emotional wellness.
Having a positive mindset, then, may promote a more successful recovery. Every emotion, positive or negative, can impact an individual’s lifestyle. Positive emotions expand an individual’s awareness, allowing new opportunities for ongoing growth and flourishing. Although negative emotions are natural, finding a middle ground can be key to maintaining even-keeled emotions to stay on track while in recovery.
The Downfall of Social Comparisons
It can be tough to hear success stories from others that surpass one’s own. Learning that someone else is making impressive progress can feel defeating. Social comparisons can make a person think less of themselves or envy another person’s lifestyle. This comparison often leads to depression, low self-esteem, and feeling inferior to society as a whole.
It may help to keep in mind that not everyone shares the darker side of their experiences. Also, just because all is well now doesn’t mean they weren’t once at a different point. The grass may seem greener on the other side, but everyone copes differently in recovery and is on a different timeline.
Self-Help Strategies to Fight Against Comparison in Recovery
According to an article published in Neuroreport, a growing body of research indicates that individuals naturally pass judgments, compare themselves, and internalize social standards whenever they interact with another person. Social comparison is one of the primary aspects of our socially oriented thought processes. Although the urge to compare oneself to others is universal, it is important to note that some individuals are more susceptible to engaging in social comparisons than others.
For example, studies have proven that those who have depression are more prone to compare themselves to others. Knowing that it can be challenging for some people to dismiss their negative inner critic, new coping mechanisms can help. Self-help strategies that can help a person combat social comparison include:
- Learning to recognize specific triggers
- Starting and ending each day with gratitude
- Focusing on the positives
- Engaging in more tasks that showcase one’s skills to increase confidence
- Reframing comparison as motivation
Considering Continuing Care
Knowing early recovery can be a vulnerable stage, continuing care can significantly improve the odds of achieving long-term recovery. Not everyone likes the idea of continuing care, as they simply just want to move forward. However, outpatient care is often less intense and provides much more flexibility than residential treatment.
Everyone deserves a second chance at life. Sometimes, combining self-help strategies with new coping skills learned in individual talk therapy can help one maintain a more positive mindset and ensure ongoing success.
Moving Forward With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy at Avalon Malibu
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy that uses certain techniques to help change an individual’s thought patterns. In CBT, it’s known that a more optimistic mindset can help a person effectively make better decisions. CBT also guides people in replacing negative thoughts with more positive affirmations. This may allow people to gain clarity and achieve a better sense of control while in recovery. Many individuals at Avalon Malibu have learned coping mechanisms in therapy that have helped them stay on track after completing their treatment program.
Here at Avalon Malibu, we want you to know you’re not alone. Mental health disorders affect adults and children of all ages and their onset can significantly impact mood, relationships, and ways of thinking. At Avalon Malibu, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) allows a therapist and client to actively work together, focusing on the here and now to help in the recovery process. Our treatment relies heavily on a complete continuum of care as a crucial aspect of recovery and starts as soon as clients are finished with rehab. CBT also explores an individual’s reactions to outside stimuli and helps them recognize unhealthy thoughts more readily. Call Avalon Malibu at (844) 857-5992 to effectively combat the dangers of comparison in recovery.Â
