Overconfidence is a dangerous characteristic to have during recovery, as it easily contributes to relapse. The emotions that come with this boisterous behavior can block other issues, making it difficult to treat their addictions. As this behavior continues, the likelihood of relapse grows stronger, which puts users at risk for relapse due to their own missteps.

Why Overconfidence Causes Relapse

Having an overconfident mindset will hinder any recovering user, as it will only work against him. Overconfidence can lead recovering addicts down a path where the end result is picking up right where they left off in addiction. Overconfidence encourages addiction relapse in any of the following ways:

• A distorted self-image – A major part of recovery is regaining self-esteem and building a healthy level of confidence without going overboard. This allows users to see worth in themselves while they stay humbled by their experiences. Becoming overconfident can be just as detrimental as not starting treatment to begin with, as it makes users feel they can withstand the risk of continuing an addiction.
• Irrational thoughts – Many users think they deserve certain rewards in conjunction with their success. This can include feeling like they deserve a swig of alcohol or any other form of use in the celebration of their sobriety. Irrationally, they can easily convince themselves that one drink or use isn’t going to hurt them, as they are now in control of their addictions. This encourages users to engage in risky practices because they think they can handle tempting situations, which often results in relapse.
• Complacency – For users who have remained sober for a long period of time, they may believe their addictions were not as bad as they thought. They may feel that they have come so far in recovery that they can now control their use and still live normally. This mindset encourages people to use once more and ultimately end in a new addiction.

Overconfidence is a weakness in any area of life, as pride will always come before the fall. While developing a strong sense of confidence and a healthy amount of self-esteem, it is crucial for users to understand that addiction never goes away. Regardless of how long sobriety has lasted or how well recovering addicts have done, addiction can always creep up again. Maintaining sobriety is a life-long process that does not have any room for overconfidence.

Help with Relapse or Preventing

Call our toll-free, 24-hour helpline right now to get the support you need to beat relapse. Life is too short to go back to addiction. Call us today and safeguard your recovery.…

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