There are a myriad of reasons why a person in recovery is not able to be successful in their change from an addict to a sober person. Some of these are obvious and are covered very effectively in addiction recovery programs. However, as I talk about in the book “The Law of Sobriety” there are some almost unspoken issues that catch people off guard during their recovery.

One of the most problematic issues for many addicts in recovery is trusting in their own ability to make the change. They may have outstanding support from family and friends as well as from counselors and coaches. They may even attend all the meetings, work with a sponsor and seem to have all the resources they need right there at their fingertips.

Yet, for some reason, they fail. The biggest reason that this happens, at least in my experience in the field, is that there are some people that are actually paralyzed with fear about recovery itself. They fear being sober and they fear what that means to their future. It is very common that this fear of the future is projected from bad experiences in their past. After all if you are afraid of your goal how hard are you really going to work to get there?

To help avoid self-sabotage from fear consider trying the following on your own or with a coach, sponsor or addiction recovery counselor.

1.    Face Your Fear

Instead of pretending that there is no fear and anxiety around your change admit it, name it and list it. Getting the fear out in the open is the first step in ridding it from your life.

2.    Reality Check

Most fears are not real; they are obstacles that our minds are creating to keep us in a zone of comfort and familiarity. By looking at the fear itself and seeing the positives that are on the other side of change the fear can be seen as a façade rather than a reality.

3.    Reframe The Fear

Once you know that the fear is not a reality but a “maybe this might happen” situation you can then start visualizing a positive outcome for the same situation. Giving yourself the power to see a positive rather than a fear clears the negativity and opens you up to seeing opportunity and success.

Once your goal is a positive and not a fearful negative, it is automatically within your grasp. This is not an easy process but with practice and support you can change your whole mental perspective on your recovery so success is the only option.

Sherry Gaba LCSW, Psychotherapist, Life & Recovery Coach is featured Celebrity Rehab on VH1. Sherry is the author of “The Law of Sobriety” which uses the law of attraction to recover from any addiction. Please download your  free E books at  www.sherrygaba.com  Contact Sherry for webinars, teleseminars, coaching packages and speaking engagements. Listen to Sherry on “A Moment of Change with Sherry Gaba”on CBS Radio. Are you a Love Addict? Take Sherry’s quiz for a free eBook Filling the Empty Heart:  5 Keys to Transforming Love Addiction.