Having a dual diagnosis can be difficult to experience and challenging to treat. If you or a loved one is grappling with co-occurring disorders, you may benefit from specialized programs that take an “outside of the box” approach to treatment. One such treatment approach is positive thinking.
The focus of this article is the power of positive thinking and how dual diagnosis positive thinking programs help empower you to transform your life. As one of Southern California’s premier outpatient rehabs, Multi-Concept Recovery (MCR) provides evidence-based addiction and mental health treatment that is personalized to meet your specific needs.
Don’t wait another day to address your dual diagnosis; call MCR today and start living your best life.
What is Positive Thinking?
So what is positive thinking? In the simplest of terms, positive thinking means that you approach the negative in your daily life positively and pleasantly. Positive thinking doesn’t simply mean ignoring obstacles or unpleasant situations in your life; you find a way to reframe those moments and turn them into something that helps you grow as a person.
The way positive thinking is best understood is through a concept called explanatory style which is the way you explain why an event happened in your life. There are two main types of explanatory styles you can engage in:
- An optimistic explanatory style occurs when you give yourself credit when good things happen and will typically blame outside forces when bad things happen. When bad things do occur, you view those events as temporary.
- A pessimistic explanatory style is defined when you focus the blame on yourself when bad things happen. With this explanatory style, you fail to give yourself credit when things go right in your life. When you have a pessimistic explanatory style, you view negative events as long-lasting and expected in your life.
If you are a positive-thinking type of person, you use an optimistic explanatory style in your daily life. In the following section, you will learn how positive thinking in addiction recovery can transform your life.
The Power of Positive Thinking in Addiction Treatment And Recovery
How can you learn to harness the power of positive thinking in dual diagnosis rehab and recovery? Dual diagnosis rehab programs feature powerful tools such as Motivational Interviewing (MI) that will help you change your way of thinking. Motivational interviewing is a collaborative therapy style that helps you identify the priorities, values, and ways of thinking that keep you stuck. When those areas are identified, a therapist will help you draw from the resources and skills you already have to make changes to transform your thinking.
Outside of treatment, there are ways to strengthen the power of positive thinking in your daily life:
- Keep a gratitude journal and make a daily habit to write about the things you are grateful for each day, no matter how small or trivial they may seem.
- Focus on the areas of your life that you view negatively. Identify those areas, and pick one to start thinking about more positively. Once you accomplish that goal, move to the next area.
- Start living a healthier lifestyle. Engage in regular exercise, eat healthier meals, drink plenty of water, and get restful sleep each night.
- Hang around positive people who are supportive of the changes you are making in your life.
- Don’t be so hard on yourself. When bad things come up, accept those moments as they are and realize those moments are temporary.
Transform Your Life With Help From MCR
If you are dealing with a dual diagnosis, you may need specialized professional help. Multi Concept Recovery is a renowned outpatient rehab featuring evidence-based programs that will help you cope with and overcome substance abuse and mental illness. The addiction treatment programs at our Burbank rehab centers address your needs in mind, body, and spirit. Our programs are customized to fit the specific needs of both adolescents and adults in a safe, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment.
Make the commitment to transform your life today with the help of Multi Concept Recovery.
