When we love ourselves, we can better care for and love others. Start by making a list and listing everything you did during the day to be assertive. Saying the words and knowing what is wrong is the first step. Circumvention of those thoughts with active behavior is the next step. It is those steps that lead you down the path of recovery. Addiction did not befall you because you are destined for negative things. You must stop trying to prove your worth and adequacy to the world and even to yourself. To support you through your college experience. You dreamed of making tons of friends in college. I know that you will probably laugh and roll your eyes when you get this letter. After all, you’re invincible—you’re at the peak of your physical prowess or so you believe. “Letters to My Younger Self” is a series focused onwisdom and self-awareness. Just as you write letters to a friend to encourage and uplift them, here is the advice we would go back and tell our younger selves. There is one place where no one will say no. There is one life that will accept you. The life of substance use that you have known for the last several years. Acclaimed blogger, Mrs. D, writes a moving and inspiring letter to her past addicted... You’ll figure out what you need to do as time goes on. Put the drink down and decide you’ll never touch it again.

A Forgiveness Letter to Myself

I felt so alone, even though I had you. You were no longer a consolation. I knew you were destroying my life. And I knew there was nothing I could do about it. I stopped frequenting the liquor store you always hung around in. I cleaned my apartment and Sober House redecorated to remove all traces of you from my life. I started a new job, got a girlfriend, and started to forget you. If you’ve already done that, your item hasn’t arrived, or it’s not as described, you can report that to Etsy by opening a case. Write about how you positively impact the people around you. Express attributes about yourself that you admire and work to cultivate. Still, it can be hard to get the practice started. That’s why we’re here to help you take the guesswork out. This Promise Week, we invite you to sit down and write yourself a love letter. For my daughter, her fear and pain of staying the same has not yet outweighed the fear of change. I'm praying that one day she will get to where you are and will face what has gone on in her life and see how it is controlling where she is today.

WRITING A LETTER TO YOUR FUTURE SELF

You watch yourself waste away, emotionally and physically, as you lose this battle time and time again. I know just how hard you fight, no matter what others who haven’t experienced addiction see or think. I’d like to share something with you that might seem discouraging at first glance. But hopefully, when you let it sink in, you will see it addiction letter to self for the message of hope that it truly is. All of my best efforts led me to 13 years of addiction and three months at the Home of Grace. My best efforts caused me to blackout twice from an overdose while driving — the first time I had two of my children in the car with me. I could have easily killed them, myself, or dozens of other people. It is more important to make sure that you get out everything that you want to say. You may be talking to your future self with this letter, so providing words of encouragement can be helpful. Remind yourself that you can do this, and that drugs and alcohol do not need to control your life. These same words may stop you from relapsing later on. These lessons and worksheets provide evidence-based information, activities, and lessons from an experienced clinical mental health counselor and recovery specialist.