Sobriety is a wonderful experience, but it doesn’t stop life. Life can be hard. Recovery allows us to work on the coping skills needed to face difficult experiences with strength. The phrase “this too shall pass” reminds us that suffering isn’t permanent. It’s a common phrase—but it’s used particularly often in the recovery world, and even if you don’t use 12-step recovery, it can be useful.
In early sobriety, the phrase is a reminder that the hardest parts will one day be a memory. Withdrawal can be very physically uncomfortable, and the early stages of recovery can be very emotionally uncomfortable.
Many of us in recovery used substances as a crutch for years. Each time we face something difficult sober for the first time, it can be overwhelming—but it eventually passes. Every subsequent time we go through that same thing in sobriety is a chance to practice healthy coping skills.
As someone who will be eight years sober this August, I can say that a lot of what felt unmanageable in early sobriety has passed. I’ve been through all of the “firsts” many times over. I’ve experienced many extremely difficult things–things that I couldn’t have even imagined coping with sober, when it was so hard to get through even a relatively good night without using substances. Still, the phrase “this too shall pass” never stops being relevant.
Because it’s life, I know that there are many more difficult and wonderful things coming my way. Keeping in mind that your present reality is not your forever one will always be helpful. This is just as true for coping with emotions as it is for experiencing various life events.
We don’t always think about emotions unless they’re particularly strong, but they form the backdrop of our lives. According to a study about the feelings people experience throughout the day, “People’s everyday life seems profoundly emotional: participants experienced at least one emotion 90% of the time…[and] also experienced positive and negative emotions simultaneously relatively frequently.”
As humans, we are prone to being so caught up in what we feel in the moment that we forget what it’s like to feel anything else. Those of us in recovery know this well; when you are in active addiction, the idea of not craving substances for even a moment can feel impossible.
But as the quote suggests, we often feel more than one emotion at a time anyway. Chances are you are already feeling something other than the dominant emotion, at the same time. Especially when we are having seemingly unbearable feelings, it can be difficult to sit with them. Many of us used substances to numb, rather than face, hard feelings. Remembering that emotions will pass—that they are constantly passing—is so helpful.
Phrases aren’t coping skills in themselves, but they can be helpful reminders about simple truths that are easy to forget. If you’re having a difficult time, this too shall pass.
If you are struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder, there is help and hope. TruHealing Centers offers high-quality treatment for addiction and mental health disorders in facilities across the country. Our staff—many of whom are in recovery themselves—will help you build the tools to stay sober through whatever comes your way in life. To learn more, call an admissions specialist at 410-593-0005.
