Being patient can be hard, especially when you’re used to the immediate gratification that came with active addiction. Substance use provides quick results, but going without means finding pleasure from other sources and having to work toward satisfaction. Although an instant cure would be nice, there is no such thing when it comes to addiction, and no luxury drug rehab facility should tell you there is.
Just as it took time for your addiction to develop, it will also take time for you to really progress in your recovery and feel the effects. It will take time to get to the point where you feel confident that you can maintain a substance-free lifestyle. A little bit of impatience can be motivating and drive you toward productivity, but too much can be a detriment.
When you rush through things, you get less than stellar results. You’ve committed yourself to addiction treatment and recovery, so why push to speed things up and risk a greater chance of relapse? Don’t take for granted the care and support you are receiving. Failure can also be a result of lack of patience because instead of working through things, you give up. You get frustrated that things aren’t going fast enough, results aren’t happening like you want them to, and so you stop trying. Building patience can help you to stick to your path and overcome obstacles without giving in to them.
Remember that change takes time. Trust can be broken very quickly, but it takes time to rebuild. If you want others to believe that you have changed, you have to prove it to them. Words are not enough. You have to show them through your actions and behaviors. This is a long-term commitment if you want to regain their trust and confidence. It takes patience.
Tips for Learning to Be More Patient
Patience is something that you’ll have to work on. It doesn’t always come easily depending on your personality and situation. But it is possible to achieve more patience if you make a conscious effort to do so.
- Don’t take shortcuts. It can be tempting to take the easy way out and cut corners to get things done. Instead, force yourself to go step by step. If you’re going to do something, put your best effort into it and do it right. Making yourself slow down and break things down into smaller tasks or separate steps can keep you focused. Think about how good it feels once you finally reach your goal, and the satisfaction of knowing that you went about things the right way.
- Practice mindfulness meditation. Focus your mind on the here and now instead of what’s yet to come. You can’t predict the future, but you can control what you do in the present. Instead of wishing your days away waiting for things that haven’t happened yet, live for the moment. What can you do right now to make yourself happy and support your recovery? Taking each day as it comes can give you more patience in waiting for things that are further off.
- Get involved in time-consuming activities. Make it a point to take up hobbies where the results are not immediate; things that you have to work toward. For example, planting and maintaining a garden takes time. You have to prepare the soil, plant seeds, water them, weed, and after a few weeks you’ll finally see the results of your hard work as the seeds begin to sprout. Then you’ll have to continue tending to your garden as the vegetables or flowers grow and mature. There’s nothing you can do to speed it along – you have to be patient. Another option would be taking piano lessons or martial arts; something that you have to keep practicing in order to get better.
- Set realistic goals. It’s easy to become impatient when you’re working toward something that it takes a long time to achieve. Make sure you’re also setting smaller goals for yourself to keep building your confidence and motivation. Celebrate the small victories and accomplishments as you make your way toward the bigger ones.
- Talk it out or write it out. The next time you’re feeling impatient or overwhelmed, either find a friend to talk to, or pull out your journal. Get out all of your emotions and thoughts. Put how you’re feeling into words so you can look at things from a different perspective. Sometimes things make more sense when they’re not just swirling around in your head. A friend can help you to figure out how to be more patient and work through things, or maybe you’ll discover these answers on your own.
Recognize that recovery from addiction takes time and being patient and dealing with things as they come can support your progress. Letting yourself get upset that things aren’t moving as fast as you want, or that you aren’t where you expected to be, doesn’t help matters. Finding patience can help you get on the path to long-term recovery and really appreciate the opportunities that come your way.
If you’re ready to start your journey to addiction recovery and begin a new chapter in your life, contact Chapters Capistrano at 949-276-2886. We can help you learn the strategies and techniques you need to implement positive change in your life and build your patience to support recovery.
