One of the things that can fuel our addictions is our attachment to the past and to the painful emotions that we’re holding onto from our past experiences. Being unable to let go of the past can cause us to seek refuge from our painful feelings in our addictive substances, relationships and behaviors. Sometimes we feel like letting go of the past is something we have no control over. We may feel as though we’ve tried to move on but simply can’t. Here are some ideas to help you learn to let go of the past so you can feel mentally and emotionally free.

Work to release your sense of attachment, to the past, to your memories of past experiences, to the emotions you associate with those experiences. Practice this in three steps: acceptance, detachment and release. It can feel impossible to accept the pain of the past, much less to detach from it and let it go, but with time and practice, these steps will become easier. Say things to yourself like, “I accept the pain of my past. I accept that I was hurt. I accept that I still have pain. I am ready to detach from it. I am ready to let go. I am ready to release my pain. I am ready to move forward.” The more you repeat these kinds of affirmations, the more you will reprogram your subconscious mind to be able to let go of the pain it has been clinging to. We actually have the power to change our thoughts and direct our thought patterns.

Practice mindfulness and stay in the present moment. When we are consumed with memories of the past, we can miss out on the all the beauty this moment has to offer us. We tend not to do things wholeheartedly, which means we’re not experiencing life in all its fullness. We’re not fully present to experience our lives, and chances are, being unable to let go of the past makes us less present for the people in our lives as well. Mindfulness helps us to bring our conscious awareness back to whatever we’re doing right now, back to our breathing, back to this moment. Practice meditation, and soon you will incorporate mindfulness in everything you do. The more present you can be, the less you will dwell on the past.

Being able to free ourselves from our attachment to the past can be an important part of our emotional healing and addiction recovery.

We offer multiple kinds of therapy as part of our treatment programs. Call 888-570-7154 for more information.