“Everything can be taken from a [person] but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor Frankl, Holocaust Survivor and Psychiatrist
Viktor Frankl developed much of his philosophy and view of the human condition while surviving in concentration camps during World War II. To survive each day without losing hope, he committed to finding meaning and gratitude while being subjected to some of the worst treatment imaginable. He concluded that the prisoners of camps who found a way to get through their dark circumstances had made the decision to hold on to hope. He shared his wisdom with others in his psychiatry practice and his writing as he sought to help others make a brighter life to stay out of the darkness.
Finding meaning and hope in dismal times can be difficult. When you recover from mental health issues, addiction, cutting, or other self-harm behaviors, you are coming out of a dark place. You are stepping out of the shadows and back into the light. You have made a choice. You chose hope. You chose growth. To continue in your recovery journey, you now need to choose something else: purpose and meaning.
Coming Out of the Shadows
When you step back into the light, you may look back on your past with regret or guilt. Other negative feelings may come up that may seem justifiable to you, if you made mistakes that have hurt others. Looking at your regrets can make you see your mistakes as unforgivable. You may feel like guilt and remorse are ways to keep you humble and maintain your recovery. Dealing with guilt, regret, and remorse are essential. You cannot deny some of these feelings when they come up in recovery. Yet, you have to forgive yourself to move on. Without self-forgiveness, you are just staying in the shadows. When you consume yourself with guilt or regret, you do not engage in a new life of health and inspiration.
Finding Meaning in Our Suffering
During your worst days, you may have felt extreme pain. You might have been so anxious that you could not get out of the house or get your thoughts together enough to speak to anyone. You may have found yourself waking in a hospital bed following a binge-drinking episode. Suicidal thoughts may have plagued your mind, keeping you from feeling good about anything at all. When you have been in the shadows and the darkness, you may even fear the light. You may worry about going back to those dark places. You can choose to find meaning and strength in your survival. Empower yourself with the things you learned about yourself in the shadows. Find a way to bring light to the world with the gift of your recovery.
What We Learn in the Shadows
You learn about the darkest realms of human emotion when you are at your worst. You know about the pits of despair, and we are all capable of falling into them. When you emerge from those dark places, you are fully aware of your own vulnerability and the vulnerability that we all share. Finding meaning from these dark places can help make the world a better place. Your journey in recovery is both about you and the value you can bring to the world. When one person falls into the darkness, the world suffers without their contributions. When you slip during recovery, the world misses you. The value you bring can help others achieve their own goals. The happiness you now find can inspire others to seek help or guidance.
The Journey Never Ends
When you start to heal and find ways of coping that are healthy and useful, you can begin to look outward. What impact will you have on the world? What are the gifts that you bring to the world? What path do you want to follow?
Finding purpose and meaning in everyday life puts you on a path that never ends. Whether you find meaning in helping others or devoting yourself to creating works of art or providing for a family, you will always have a “why?” or a reason for your life in recovery. The journey never ends. You will find new ways of expressing yourself and sharing your gifts with the world. Find meaning from your suffering and commit to shining your light in the world. Let your fire burn brightly and guide others out of the shadows.
Personal growth can come from a place of suffering. When we hit “rock bottom,” the only way out is to move upward. We can find strength in our past suffering. We can grow from it and learn from our mistakes. We can better understand the full spectrum of our emotional capacity, from the wells of despair to the peak moments in the sunshine. Remember that the recovery journey never ends. When you find true purpose and meaning in life, you never stop finding ways to contribute your gifts and value to the world. If you are struggling to make sense of suffering in your life, you may need help to get perspective. Call Fire Mountain Residential Treatment today at (303) 443-3343. We are here to help teens and their families in their recovery. You are not alone in your pain. We can walk through this together. At Fire Mountain, “We’ve got your back!”
