What Acceptance Means for Sobriety as One of the Spiritual Principles
Denial plays a key role in addiction and substance abuse. Someone might be in denial that their substance abuse is no longer in their control. They might refuse to see how their substance abuse contributes to negative outcomes.
The opposite of denial is acceptance and it is one of the spiritual principles of becoming sober and staying sober. If you're not sure how to stay committed to sobriety, it's time to invite acceptance into your life.
What do we mean by acceptance? Why is acceptance necessary for your sobriety and spiritual health? Read on to find out.
Acceptance That You Need Help
Less than 10% of those who struggle with alcohol abuse seek help. Those who do seek help tend to fall into one of two camps. They've either been pushed into treatment by a loved one, a friend, or the court, or they've come to accept that they have a problem.
Treatment is only the first leg of the journey toward sobriety. Staying sober requires self-discipline and you're only going to strive for self-discipline when you believe that addictive substances once took control of your life.
Acceptance of Difficult Emotions
The first step is accepting that you have an illness that isn't going to dissipate on its own. Once you do, you're going to face a lot of difficult emotions like guilt, shame, and hurt. In the past, you may have turned to alcohol to escape or numb those feelings and now, you must face them.
When you stop running from difficult emotions, you begin to realize that they aren't heavier or less manageable than substance abuse. You learn how to stop the cycle of shame by accepting that your substance abuse is a treatable illness.
How to Stay Committed to Sobriety Through Acceptance
In accepting that the past is fixed, you can start to take accountability for your future. Though it may be painful at times, you no longer need to hide from your own actions and strive to become the best version of yourself. In AA, this includes making amends when possible and committing acts of service in your everyday life.
In acceptance, there is no room for the belief that you can use addictive substances in a healthy or controlled way. You recognize once and for all that you suffer from the illness that is addiction and you maintain the strength to stay sober even when challenged.
Learn More About the Spiritual Path to Sobriety
From where you stand now, it may feel as though you'll never learn how to stay committed to sobriety. In accepting that you need help and taking those first steps, you begin down the spiritual path to become the best version of yourself.
Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the many resources available to those who need help with addiction. The Token Shop is here to support your journey and help you celebrate every milestone along the way, from your first meeting to your tenth year of sobriety. Browse our AA literature to start learning more.