People recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) often experience problems with their self-esteem. While this may not seem like such a big deal to an outside observer, the lack of confidence can make it far more difficult for an individual with SUD to commit to their recovery.
Below, we’ll briefly discuss how self-esteem issues arise, how they affect recovery, and why individuals need to rebuild their confidence. Call our team at Dallas Drug Treatment Centers to find rehab programs that help address self-esteem issues.
Why do SUD Patients Have Self-esteem Issues?
SUD can be an incredibly complex condition that affects each individual differently. Additionally, as with many mental health conditions, social and cultural norms can also influence how the patient feels about their substance misuse.
Some reasons SUD patients may have confidence issues include but are not limited to the following:1,2
- Shame. Individuals with upbringings, social classes, cultures, and religious backgrounds that have a low opinion of substance misuse may feel a loss of self-esteem during recovery. They may feel ashamed at their substance misuse, or at being found out. They may also feel ashamed at their loss of control or because they feel that they failed their family or other people they value.
- Underlying esteem issues. Many people, particularly teens and young adults, may have problems with self-actualization. This may make them vulnerable to substance misuse resulting from peer pressure, in their effort to fit in. Other individuals may misuse substances to disinhibit themselves to become more confident. Alcohol, for instance, is often called “liquid courage” or “social lubricant”, as a testament to this kind of use. Cocaine and most so-called party drugs tend to have a similar disinhibiting effect as well. Ceasing substance misuse can bring back underlying esteem issues to the fore and make it difficult for recovering individuals to function in social settings.
- Low mood from withdrawals.Substance misuse can seriously alter a person’s ability to regulate their emotions. Some individuals may become reliant on substances to feel normal and find it very difficult to function socially without their substance of choice. Withdrawals necessarily reduce one’s access to their preferred substances, which can lead to poor esteem in early recovery.
Why is Rebuilding Self-esteem Important?
Self-esteem is a consistent factor in predicting the likelihood of relapse throughout the recovery process. Rebuilding self-esteem is critical to a sustained and fruitful recovery for a number of reasons:3
- Confidence Helps Post-rehab Life. People with lower self-esteem tend to achieve less in their personal lives as well as in school and work environments, simply because they less proactive. More confident individuals are likely to do more, which often equates to them doing better socially and professionally. This often leads to success in these areas which can greatly help with their commitment towards recovery.
- Better Self-esteem Prevents Depression and Anxiety. Multiple studies have pointed to a relationship between self-esteem with common mental health issues, including depression anxiety.4 Addressing specific self-esteem issues tend to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, both of which are linked to SUD and relapses. By focusing on improving confidence without substance misuse, recovering individuals can reduce their relative risk of relapse.
- Confidence May Prevent Maladaptive Behaviors.A common issue in SUD recovery is that patients may successfully give up their substance of choice, only to exchange it for a milder though comparatively less harmful habit. For instance, many recovering individuals may experience problems with tobacco, social media use, online shopping, or unhealthy eating.5 While these issues are usually more preferable to having a drug or alcohol problem, they can still be harmful in the long term. Initial evidence shows that addressing esteem issues may be key to preventing these behaviors, thus improving already decent SUD outcomes.
Conclusion
SUD can make it very difficult for you to feel confident about yourself. If self-esteem issues are not addressed during recovery, it may result in an increased risk of relapses or unhealthy maladaptive behaviors.
To avoid these issues, it’s important to look for SUD treatment programs that fully address your unique needs. Dallas Drug Treatment Centers makes it simple to find programs and facilities in North Texas that offer holistic treatment approaches. This will ensure that your recovery is not simply focused on treating the physical effects of SUD, but also its psychological causes and long-term ramifications as well.
Good luck, and be well!
Resources:
- Alavi, H. R. (2011). The role of self-esteem in tendency towards drugs, theft and prostitution. Addiction & health, 3(3-4), 119.
- Tam, C. C., Benotsch, E. G., & Li, X. (2020). Self-esteem and non-medical use of prescription drugs among college students: Coping as a mediator. Substance use & misuse, 55(8), 1309-1319.
- Skager, R., & Kerst, E. (1989). Alcohol and drug use and self-esteem: A psychological perspective. The social importance of self-esteem, 10(5), 248-293.
- Sowislo, J. F., & Orth, U. (2013). Does low self-esteem predict depression and anxiety? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychological bulletin, 139(1), 213.
- Andreassen, C. S., Pallesen, S., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey. Addictive behaviors, 64, 287-293.