One of our major setbacks when we’re struggling with addiction can be how much we close ourselves off to learning from other people. We think no one will be able to understand our struggles. We think we’re alone with our pain. Sometimes our hopelessness causes us to feel as though there’s no point in even trying. The more we heal, though, the more we see just how much we stand to learn from other people. They can prove to be an invaluable resource and source of support in our recovery.

To open ourselves up to learning from others, there are a few mindset shifts we need to adopt. One is humility versus pridefulness. Many of us feel that because we’ve been alone with our problems for so long, we would rather continue to isolate ourselves and shut other people out. Some of us are prideful and think that only we know best, forgetting that we don’t have all the answers to the complexities of addiction. Each of us has a lot to learn. We don’t yet understand that there are many people further along in the recovery process, better equipped to help us navigate our recovery than we might be alone.

We all have something to offer and to teach other people. When we are able to be humble, we realize that it is not a weakness to learn from other people. In fact, it’s a strength to be able to humble ourselves enough to accept help from other people and to admit we don’t know everything. We may have become the experts of our own particular experience with addiction, but there are other people who have become experts in helping people to recover, after years of firsthand experience and knowledge, and if we can humble ourselves enough to let them help us, it can make all the difference in whether or not we have a successful recovery.

Another mindset shift is realizing that what we stand to learn from other people is a gift, just as what we have to offer others is also a gift. We can share in each other’s knowledge and wisdom. We can offer each other hope, and when we are feeling desperate and hopeless, this can mean the world to us. Everything we learn adds to our strength and to what we can then use to help other people. When we view our journeys as linked with other people’s, we can view sharing what we know and learning from others as powerful gifts.

When you’re ready, we’re here to offer the support, understanding and care that can help you in your recovery. Call 888-570-7154 for more information.