ABSTRACT
After you stop chasing the highs or escaping from painful states, you may have to face a lot of feelings inside which will feel really uncomfortable. Hopefully the programme has helped you learn new coping mechanisms. But the painful negative feelings and beliefs you developed may take many years to heal. If you experienced abuse, neglect or major loss in your childhood, the pain will always be there but you can learn to tolerate it and be less overwhelmed. The first step is accepting the pain and making friends with it. Mindfulness practice (meditation), looking after yourself and living your life with care will help build positive states of mind. As you manage your problems more effectively, your relationships will improve and your life will get better. Gradually the happy times will increase and the bad times lessen. But you will always be vulnerable to setbacks. Also, part of your emotional roller-coastering is your temperament. This won't change much. (Look on the bright side. Life will never be dull!) Keep the manual and your notes and, whenever you need to, re-read them.
