Honesty can sound like such a simple concept to anyone who has never lived with addiction. But when it comes to someone in recovery, honesty takes on a whole new meaning. I can only speak from my own experience, but what made me so sick was my ability to get away with telling lies, sharing just the right amount of truth to stay undetected. Undetected from what? From being found out that while the whole time I was playing it off as being the “life of the party,” I was just burying myself further into a depression I wasn’t willing to acknowledge.
I was able to justify any action if it meant that I would be able to get what I wanted, or numb a feeling I was trying to run from. As long as I avoided the truth, and continued living in denial of my reality, I was never going to be able to live an honest lifestyle. Telling secrets was what I knew best for so long, that it was not until I gave honesty a chance that I finally started to realize just how freeing that could feel.
Telling the Truth Makes It Easier to Be Myself
Being who I am requires me to be just that: myself. When I am honest with my intentions and follow through with what I say I am going to do, I do not feel the need to explain myself or defend who I am. When I live vulnerably, and with an open mind, I have found that being honest comes with less of a challenge. By accepting my truth, owning up to the mistakes I have made in the past, and forgiving the person I thought I needed to be, I have been able to discover some of the best parts of myself just by setting some of the worst parts free.
Honesty, Recovery and Connection
By speaking my truth, and never being afraid to own up to who I am, I have been able to find and build deep, meaningful connections with people from all over the world (one of the pros of Social Media). In my personal, day-to-day relationships, I practice open communication and maintain a healthy balance of give and take. Through sharing my truth with others, I have been able to learn the difference between toxic relationships and positive ones.
When I first made the choice to get better, and put myself in recovery, it came as a shock to many. When I continued living my life in recovery, it was easy to figure out who was there to stay, and who was quick to go. Of the many things that recovery will teach you, it is who has your back after the truth comes out.
By Being Honest, You Can Be Your Best Self
By choosing a life of honesty, and being exactly who I am, I am slowly but surely breaking down the fears, insecurities, and self-hate I once consumed myself with. In recovery, I don’t feel any pressure to keep secrets from those in my life, as well as myself. By allowing myself permission to accept who I am, I was able to reshape my perspective and begin to live life in a much healthier way. Without honesty, I would not be in recovery, and without recovery, I would have never been honest.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.