People with substance use disorders often experience negative emotions, such as shame and guilt. To cope with these feelings, one may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. This can include increased substance use. Knowing how shame and guilt fuel addiction can help you free yourself from the cycle of drug and alcohol abuse. Xplore Recovery is here to help: we address addiction from a whole-person perspective. Rather than targeting substance use as a surface-level behavior, we look at what’s going on underneath and help people affected by addiction find a new direction in life.
How Shame and Guilt Fuel Addiction
To explain how shame and guilt fuel addiction, it is important to talk about the cycle they can create. Negative emotions, like shame and guilt, can be a trigger for substance use. A person might use alcohol or drugs to numb these feelings, or to experience positive sensations (like a rush of euphoria) instead. However, drug and alcohol use may then cause them to feel further shame and guilt.
Continuous feelings of guilt and shame can drive people to use substances more to cope, which is where the cyclic nature of shame, guilt, and addiction comes into play. In fact, research shows that shame and guilt, independent of depression, can be barriers to reducing drug use. Shame-proneness can also raise the risk that someone will start using substances at a young age, which is associated with a higher chance of having a substance use disorder later in life.
Some people will experience an increase in avoidance behaviors due to shame, which could mean that they refrain from seeking treatment. You could also become more secretive out of shame, which could mean that you go to great lengths to hide the extent of your substance use from others. Self-forgiveness is central to the healing process.
Our Programs
Our programs can help you overcome excessive negative emotions that fuel addiction. At Xplore Recovery, you will work on reframing your thoughts, finding new, healthy coping mechanisms, and building confidence, among other treatment goals.
Partial Hospitalization Program in Tennessee
Our partial hospitalization program in Tennessee will help you create a sustainable foundation for addiction recovery. You’ll participate in group therapy about 30 hours per week, as well as individual therapy and other activities (e.g., family therapy sessions). Individual therapy gives you a place to talk about what’s on your mind in a private setting, whether that’s guilt, shame, or something else. Various therapeutic modalities are used in groups, which give clients the chance to build life and recovery skills, process emotions and experiences, and find camaraderie.
IOP Outpatient Rehab Tennessee
The intensive outpatient program (IOP) at Xplore Recovery is the next step down from PHP. Clients in IOP outpatient rehab in Tennessee at our center participate in fewer total treatment hours per week, with therapy taking place a few days per week for roughly a few hours on each treatment day. However, the same effective approach is used. Usually, it is recommended that you participate in IOP after finishing PHP, but some people start their treatment journey with IOP. It all depends on your personal needs.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Feelings of guilt and shame can be associated with diverse mental health concerns. For example, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When that is the case, finding centers with dual-diagnosis treatment is vital. Dual-diagnosis care is central to our approach at Xplore Recovery, which considers the full spectrum of every client’s needs. Our center in Tennessee treats co-occurring disorders to ensure that the people in our programs are able to achieve the best possible recovery outcomes.
Call Xplore Recovery for Effective Addiction Treatment in Ocoee, Tennessee
Xplore Recovery is a trusted drug and alcohol rehab center. Our programs are unique and comprehensive, with trauma-informed professionals here to guide you through each stage of the recovery process. Call Xplore Recovery for effective addiction treatment in Ocoee, Tennessee, today at (423) 522-1457.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About How Shame and Guilt Fuel Addiction
How do I process shame and guilt in addiction recovery?
Therapy is an excellent place to process shame and guilt in addiction recovery. Often, acknowledging how you feel is the first step. Being able to talk about it openly matters, and a professional can give you the chance to do that as much as you need to in a confidential environment. From there, the process might entail:
Address the sources of shame and guilt (e.g., stigma).
Making amends with others when you can.
Focusing on growth and new, healthy behaviors.
Using cognitive reframing techniques.
Practicing self-forgiveness.
Self-care.
Our therapists will help you identify your feelings without judgment so that you can process and work through them effectively. From there, we will help you find acceptance, which can be imperative in self-forgiveness.
What’s the difference between shame and guilt?
Even though the two are often used synonymously, there is a difference between shame and guilt. Experts say that shame makes us feel bad about ourselves, whereas guilt focuses more on behaviors, which can be disconnected from the self. Identifying whether you are experiencing guilt, shame, or both can be part of the therapy process.
Where are guilt and shame stored in the body?
Guilt and shame are not necessarily stored in a specific part of the body. However, self-conscious emotions, such as shame, embarrassment, and guilt, have been associated with activation in certain regions of the brain in research. Many people also experience physical sensations as a result of negative emotions like guilt and shame. For example, the stress you experience from unresolved feelings of guilt and shame may cause gastrointestinal problems, muscle tension, and other issues, like trouble sleeping.
What type of therapy can help with shame?
Various therapies used in our programs can help with shame. Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, can help people reframe negative thoughts. If trauma plays a role in your feelings of shame and guilt, trauma therapy can be an essential part of the process. We offer an extensive range of evidence-based treatments that target addiction and co-occurring concerns, including trauma. Xplore Recovery clients work with staff to develop personalized treatment plans tailored to their specific needs and life experiences.