Our experience with addiction and mental health issues can be profoundly traumatic and life-altering. We can find that we disconnect from entire parts of us. We lose connection to our true selves. We can feel totally confused about who we are and what our purpose in life is. We feel devoid of meaning. We struggle to feel satisfied and fulfilled in our lives. How can we reconnect with those missing parts of us that make up who we are?

Many of us lose our connection to our families, friends and other loved ones when addiction has taken over our lives. We can feel as though we’ve lost our sense of identity and connectedness to the people who make us feel safe, loved, accepted and understood. Our relationships suffer from the toxicity of our addictions and can become damaged, even estranged.

Addiction can cause us to disconnect from our passions and our pursuits. We lose the dreams we had for ourselves. We stop dreaming altogether. We don’t see a future for ourselves, let alone fulfillment of the things that make us uniquely who we are.

These are some of the many parts of us that we can lose our connection to, that can feel as though they’re missing, but with exploration we can reconnect with them. We realize that they were never missing, they were simply hidden from view, often buried under layers of toxicity, fear and sadness. We can practice reconnecting with them. With our loved ones and our passions as examples, let’s explore how we can reconnect with these missing parts of ourselves with a meditation exercise.

Breathe deeply and turn your attention inward toward your heart, that place within you holding infinite capacity for wisdom, love and understanding. How does your heart feel in this moment? Chances are it feels closed and constricted. It might feel cold and dark. Visualize a powerful light emanating from your heart. Imagine that you are being filled with love, strength and warmth from this light. Now turn your thoughts to the parts of you that you wish to reconnect with. Extend this energy to them and fill them with your light. Feel your connection being reestablished and strengthened. Feel yourself getting closer to them again. Send loving thoughts to them along with the light. The more you practice, the more you’ll be able to traverse the separation that has been created within you.

We can support you in your recovery journey with the personalized care and attention you need. Call 888-570-7154 for more information.