“Rock bottom” is a fairly nebulous concept. We tend to think of it as “the least happy and thriving someone could be,” but of course, that hasn’t precluded people, many people in fact, from rising above it and learning something from the journey. Famous author JK Rowling once said “rock bottom was the foundation from which I built the rest of my life.” Some of the most productive, capable, heartfelt and loving people out there have experienced difficult times.
As this excellent film about addiction by artist Melanie Manchot shows, struggles like addiction can also teach you a great deal if you realize the dignity of the individual as being above that of a disease.
A common saying suggests you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force them to drink. This shows that anyone trying to recover from rock bottom ultimately needs to do so themselves, even if they’ve made a mistake. To find that hope to develop anew and look to the future, it takes a kind of willing resilience that might not always be easy to find.
In this post, we’ll help you find it. Sometimes, the hope that you can recover or get better, no matter the issue you’re struggling with, can make a profound difference to your sense of wellness. With that in mind, please consider some of the following advice:
Take Comfort In Figures Just Like You
Most people struggling with a life difficulty know how easy it is to feel isolated, as if no one else could possibly understand what you’re going through. But the truth is, you’re far from alone and it’s unlikely your struggles are so alien that no one could understand them. Many people have faced similar issues.
Think about alcoholism – unfortunately, many tens or even hundreds of thousands (perhaps even millions) have struggled with this, and a large number of them have recovered. Remember that some of the most inspiring figures in history have been through dark times. That’s not to say you should be relativist about your own difficulties, nor that your perspective isn’t worthwhile. It just means that there are countless examples of people like you, and perhaps even in harder situations than you, finding a fantastic new lease on life and a means to recover after hardship.
Sometimes just knowing people understand, such as in a group dedicated to healing after bereavement, child loss, or addiction support can be the foundation you need to take that first step. It sounds like a cliche, but it’s entirely true that you never have to be alone.
You Only Need To Live A Day At A Time
One of the issues that keeps people down is that climbing out of the pit can feel impossible if you look at it all at once. That’s why it’s important to remember that you don’t have to have everything figured out right now. You only need to take it one day at a time.
Living day by day doesn’t mean you’re giving up on long-term goals or dreams, or that you’re carefree and don’t care about tomorrow. It just means that you’re breaking down the journey into manageable steps. You can only take one step at a time no matter what you do, after all. Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is get through the next 24 hours. Many ex-addicts understand this – their recovery is not measured in years but days.
There’s a kind of freedom in this approach. It allows you to let go of the pressure to fix everything all at once and instead focus on the present. If you’ve had a bad day, that’s fine, you can go to sleep and have a new one tomorrow. This can help you recharge more easily and focus on 0.1% improvements each day, something within your grasp.
Professional Assistance Is Out There & Would Love A Chance To Help
You may be surprised just how much help is out there. Professional assistance, whether it’s therapy, counselling, or medical support, is available and may even be entirely free. Services such as https://addictionsuk.com can help you better address a painful habit and set you on a rewarding path forward.
Better yet, therapists, counsellors, and other mental health professionals have dedicated their lives to helping people just like you. They’re trained to listen without judging you for anything, and they’ve heard it all before as well. They want to help you get better and live your best life. The entire reason they worked so hard to get into this position is to help those struggling, perhaps you this time, thrive and reclaim years of happy life. That might sound a little melodramatic, but the truth is that friendship, fellow feeling and goodwill exist all around us, and tapping into that, even through professional service, is sometimes what you need to find that hope again.
At This Time, You Find Out Who Your Truest Friends Are
The fact is that hitting “rock bottom” reveals the true nature of your relationships. It’s during these difficulties that you really find out who your truest friends are. Some people might surprise you with their support, while others might fade into the background. That doesn’t mean people dislike you, perhaps they just have their own struggles. It’s a difficult reality to face, but it’s also a valuable one.
In general, we consider true friends to be the ones who stick by you when things get tough. However, remember that everyone has limits. It might be that your family will welcome you with open arms if you recover, but after many attempts, they’re waiting to see if this is possible. It can feel somewhat worrying to experience this, but once you’re healed you’ll understand that perspective.
As difficult as this process might be, it can ultimately strengthen your relationships. You’ll come to appreciate the friends who are there for you, those who want your success, or those willing to lend a friendly ear. That’s perhaps the most golden resource any of us has.
Recovery Isn’t Linear, But You Can Learn From It
Keep in mind that few people recover from grief, addiction, or trauma, or other hardships in a straight line with no difficulties. There will be ups and downs, and that’s expected and fine. It’s perfectly normal to have moments where you feel like you’re not making progress – this can even happen if you’re learning a new language or something equally as benign.
Many professionals will suggest to you that setbacks are a natural part of the process. They don’t necessarily take back the progress you’ve made (provided you don’t fall into bad habits) – they’re just part of the journey. Use them as stepping stones to learn something new.
There Are Many More Satisfying Modes Of Living
“Rock bottom” has a habit of insulating our view of the world and making us feel like this is all there is. Now, we’re not going to tell someone struggling with grief to “just think of something else and you’ll be fine!” Emotional realities do matter.
But the truth is, there are many more satisfying modes of living than being at rock bottom. It can be hard to see that if we’re not prepared for it. It might be that you find your zest for life again, step by step, via community gardening, but that requires taking a step out. Having trust that yes, the future can be brighter than the now, inspires us to get out of bed and go for it, however modestly.
Passion For Life Is Often Rekindled After Addressing Personal Harms
Remember that recovery from a hardship is not a binary thing. You’re not struggling one day then you’re automatically better the next. As you work through that process, you’ll start to feel lighter, more hopeful, and more connected to the world around you. The things that once brought you joy might start to feel exciting again, and you might even discover new interests. In other words, the journey is sometimes more rewarding than than the goal.
Think of someone struggling with their weight – perhaps morbidly so. They don’t go from “too large” to “perfect weight.” With assistance, they begin slowly to exercise. Over time, they feel more capable and tire less quickly. They might see the pounds dropping off. All of a sudden walking isn’t as hard a process. Maybe they can breathe a little easier than last week. Perhaps those old trousers fit again. There are many little micro-victories to enjoy and almost all of them feel wonderful. Keeping that in mind can be inspiring – as perhaps good things may be closer than you think.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily find hope at rock bottom. This is just a starting guide however with some warm insights, we’d recommend finding professional help to make this process even more possible should you need it. Remember that this process is not only possible, but likely if you keep at it. We wish you the best of luck!
