Quitting an addiction can be a different journey for everyone that goes through the process. It will never be perfect or the ideal scenario as each person will have to cope with their own ups and downs. There are bound to be setbacks that come up and learning to handle those experiences will become an essential part of sobriety.
Of course no one wants to fail in recovery but mistakes and setbacks do happen. Understanding how to get back on track after a setback and continue to persevere is crucial when you have an addiction. Many people can fall into self-defeating thoughts when they have a setback but this can be dangerous and lead to relapse.
It is important not to fall into negative thinking such as believing that it’s not the right time for you to recover or that you can’t handle recovery. Although it may be natural to feel upset and afraid during a setback you need to understand that you and millions of other people are capable of recovery. There is never going to be a better time to recover and it is something that you can accomplish now.
When a setback happens it is also helpful not to blame others or blame a certain situation. You need to take responsibility and learn from the experience so that you can handle it better next time. You can see it as an opportunity to learn and gain clarity without viewing it as a failure on your part.
If you are faced with a setback your highest priority should be to get back on track by talking to your sponsor or counselor and going to meetings. Get input from other people on how to handle it so that you feel supported and don’t allow a mistake to derail your recovery.