Online Rehab

1 min read

Being kind to yourself

Being hard on yourself seems to help, but often backfires. Kindness keeps you going longer.

Many people in recovery are very hard on themselves. They call themselves names when they make a mistake and think they should have done better long ago. That creates stress and shame, which make using more likely.

Self-compassion means treating yourself the way you'd treat a good friend. With understanding, even when things don't work out. Not to excuse everything, but to give yourself room to learn.

Notice how you talk to yourself. Would you say that to someone else? Try a line like: this is hard, and I'm doing my best. Or: others go through this too, I'm not the only one.

Research shows that people who are kind to themselves bounce back faster after setbacks.