Healing the Core of Addiction Claiming a Life Purpose

Some people with substance use disorder (SUD) have difficulty feeling motivated. Finding a purpose and life goal to strive toward is an essential part of recovery for many people. According to Frontiers in Psychology, “[P]eople have a high level of self-motivation and engagement when they are working toward something very personal.” Claiming a Life Purpose is a therapeutic approach Exclusive Hawaii Rehab uses to help clients engage with the recovery process. Clinicians guide clients through exploring new hobbies, learning skills, building healthy relationships, and increasing self-awareness through mindfulness or other techniques.

What Does Claiming a Life Purpose Mean?

Claiming a Life Purpose is a specific therapy used to help clients heal and find a path toward a healthier future. People are encouraged to find healthy and fulfilling goals to strive toward during and after treatment. For many people, sobriety is a life purpose. However, sobriety alone is rarely enough. Often, people need a deeper and more meaningful direction to focus their energy.

Building Healthy Skills During Treatment

Skill development is a critical part of Claiming a Life Purpose. Skills allow people to make better decisions about their treatment and overall health. Some of the most common skills people build during treatment for SUD include:

• Active communication
• Problem-solving
• Conflict resolution
• Emotion regulation
• Stress management
• Relapse prevention
• Setting boundaries
• Mindfulness

The skills people develop depend on what they plan to do after treatment. Clients collaborate with their care team to determine which skills will help them set and achieve essential recovery goals.

Claiming a Life Purpose and Healing From Trauma

Trauma is one of the most common underlying causes of substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. According to Depression and Anxiety, “Exposure to traumatic experiences, especially those occurring in childhood, has been linked to substance use disorders (SUDs), including abuse and dependence. SUDs are also highly comorbid with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mood-related psychopathology.” Claiming a Life Purpose can motivate people to process trauma and move forward in their recovery.

Some of the most common forms of trauma reported by people with SUD include:

• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• Significant life changes, including divorce or death of a loved one
• Physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse
• Witnessing traumatic events

Claiming a Life Purpose allows clients to identify, process, and move past traumas using healthy, evidence-based methods. Overcoming trauma using skill development and healthy life goals improves self-confidence and resiliency. Resiliency is critical to recovery from substance abuse, ensuring clients have the tools to cope with and manage triggers and challenges in recovery. Finding a life purpose and using the motivation to overcome trauma and other underlying causes of addictive behaviors strengthens people’s resolve to remain sober long-term.

Discovering Your Life Purpose

Everyone has different motivations and needs. Finding a life purpose usually involves working with a therapist or other members of the care team to determine what life changes could benefit long-term recovery.

Some common areas people focus on when trying to identify a life goal include:

• Family
• Education
• Sobriety
• Career advancement
• General health
• Spirituality

According to Frontiers in Psychology, “[R]esearch has shown that personal goal setting and goal attainment plans help people gain a direction or a sense of purpose in life.” Many people have difficulty finding a life purpose on their own. “Oftentimes, people experience pressure to have a ‘perfect’ life and show the world how well they are doing, instead of following up on their deep-felt values and passions.” Choosing goals that align with internal beliefs, personal values, and passions makes it easier for people to stay motivated and maintain engagement in recovery.

Claiming a Life Purpose by Setting Significant Goals

People create or discover a life purpose in many different ways. For example, some individuals focus on healing family relationships during treatment and recovery. Others may focus on returning to work or gaining a new degree. The care team helps clients identify their values and what makes them feel fulfilled. Core values guide people by influencing thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs. Many people find greater purpose in life when they identify their values and use them to make healthier life choices.

Setting clear goals aligned with personal values gives people a sense of direction and hope. Some common goals people use to motivate recovery include:

• Learning new skills
• Building healthier relationships
• Achieving a career milestone

Setting goals provides purpose and meaning, reducing the risk of relapse and encouraging healthier lifestyle choices.

Continuing to Move Forward After Treatment

After treatment, people use the goals they set in therapy to orient their sober lives. Recovery is an ongoing process, and maintaining sobriety requires continued motivation and hope for a better future. Many people struggle in early recovery because they do not have something to strive for. Claiming a Life Purpose prepares clients for continuing care by giving them with the tools and skills they need to navigate challenges in recovery.

Exclusive Hawaii Rehab offers alumni support and other services to individuals who have completed treatment. The transition to independent sobriety may make some people feel vulnerable and uncertain about their ability to maintain healthy patterns of behavior. Focusing on fulfilling a life purpose allows people to avoid uncertainty by providing a path forward.