The world is full of influential words: motivating words, inspirational words, affecting words, and positive words, and negative words. Finding the right words to convey your thoughts and feelings to someone else can be difficult when substances intervene. Words have a way of hurting us or supplying us with support. It is crucial to consider the right words when addressing substance use or any other change in life, but is there a right way to choose your influential words when substance use is involved?
For those suffering from substance abuse, life’s patterns can be a back-and-forth between habits and addiction. It takes time to understand the levels of commitment and dedication involved in substance use recovery. Words resonate with positive or negative effects, either motivating or demoralizing our self-awareness, regardless of where they come from. Those that struggle with substance use need encouragement and inspiration, especially from those they love.
Choosing the right words to better yourself or better those around you is one of the first steps to owning your identity. For example, someone who struggles with substance use can feel trapped and hopeless at times. Expressing that recovery will not be completed overnight and that it doesn’t take forever is a good start toward the right influential words to use.
When the time that the path of recovery takes is discussed honestly and transparently, those words can give you better control over your life. Words used in recovery are motivating factors that create a positive change. Which words are positive for recovery varies from situation to situation and person to person.
Each individual that goes to treatment has experienced different situations and struggles, and not all words will be relatable. When someone struggles with substance use, they’ve experienced stigmas around their aspirations, and the emotional-contextual connection pushes them down instead of lifting them.
Sometimes the smallest statement can make all the difference in the world to someone, especially when they’re struggling with substance use. You might have trouble responding to particular statements or words because you’ve built up walls around your deepest desires, creating habitual behaviors in your cognitive reasoning. Working on a change of thinking is vital for everyone involved in the recovery process.
No matter how difficult the substance use situation or circumstance becomes, choosing the right influential words can improve both the mental and physical elements of recovery. Many people believe words cannot change reality; however, words can be used to motivate you and change your perspective on the realities of your life. In recovery, words create positive notions and encourage affirmations that define your beliefs and goals.
When individuals follow the path of positive affirmations or focus on engaging with their minds, the opportunities are endless (if they are guided correctly). The beautiful thing about influential words and affirmations are the possibilities they create to improve self-awareness and self-esteem.
When you continue to tell yourself you're capable of anything, you generate more optimism within your life. This pushes you to take actions that turn words into a more positive perspective of reality. Increased self-esteem and self-awareness boost confidence and encourage productivity. This is vital for those that struggle with substance use because it can help them believe in change and understand that there is hope to overcome the challenges of substance use.
However, there’s still the question of choosing the right words when substance use is part of the conversation. The answer is to change your perspective on life and become more confident about what motivates and reassures you.
When you create positive changes in your life, that outcome affects others around you. This means that it’s not just about what words influence the situation; it’s also about how you train yourself through words and actions.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when communicating about substance use is labeling someone based on their struggles with substance use. For example, when you use negative stigmas or labels that reflect shame or guilt, you’re affirming that the individual is not capable of change.
Regardless of intentions, those that struggle with substance use may take honesty negatively. When we choose to reshape or rethink the way we speak and use words, we can offer compassion and support in a way that everyone understands.
While going through recovery, the most influential words provide support, respect, and compassion. Words can be directed and reshaped with affirmations and recognition when they are delivered with experience and understanding during a critical time in an individual’s life. Everyone who has struggled with substance use deserves to have a good life and the ability to accomplish their goals, and words can provide them support along that journey.
Reminding those who are inside and outside of treatment that they are worthy of achieving their goals can motivate them to work harder to reach them. This is where the right influential words regarding substance use make all the difference. The opinions and words of others do matter in recovery. When someone starts treatment, creating affirmations of love and acceptance starts the first step of recovery. If you or someone you love feels that substance use is an uphill struggle, choosing the right influential words can make it possible to regain your life and gain your true potential. However, if you still struggle with understanding that you're worth the reward of a happy life, then NorthStar Transitions is here to help you. We want to encourage your self-esteem and help you down the route that gives you purpose and meaning. For more information, or to talk to someone who understands substance use language, contact us at (303) 558-6400.
