How Well Do You Deal With Uncertainty?
The answer might be more important than you think.
Life is full of uncertain outcomes, especially for people who are struggling with mental health and addiction. Individuals facing these challenges often worry about what the future will look like, especially in the context of difficult decisions, such as whether or not to seek treatment.
One of the biggest fears we see when talking to people who are considering treatment is the idea of a journey into the unknown. Not having concrete answers can feel stressful, as the future can feel out of our control.
We see people struggle with questions that don’t have predefined answers, like…
- How will I feel in treatment?
- Will I be able to maintain long-term recovery?
- How will I handle dealing with my unresolved emotional issues?
- Will I find new coping mechanisms?
- How long will my recovery take?
- Will my recovery journey cost me my friends?
- How will my identity change?
- Will I have to change my lifestyle completely?
- Can I rebuild trust with those I’ve hurt?
- Will I find purpose and meaning in life?
And yet, the answer to these questions is not always available ahead of time. Rather, the answer is something that comes through living, through struggling, through seeking the right support and resources, and through participating in and experiencing treatment and recovery.
Uncertainty can drive us up the wall if we let it… Indeed, that’s something we see in some individuals, who are said to have a high intolerance of uncertainty.
What is Intolerance of Uncertainty?
Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is the framing of any unknown or ambiguous situations as inherently negative; it is often measured using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS). Interestingly enough, recent research shows that IU may be a key feature of drug addiction and even process addictions such as addiction to smartphones.
So, it may very well be that our attitude toward uncertainty is just as important as whether or not we have an answer.
Tony Robbins once famously said, “The quality of your life is in direct correlation with the amount of uncertainty you’re able to deal with.” And yes, it’s probably easier to live with uncertainty when you’re an entrepreneur worth hundreds of millions of dollars…
But even for the average person, reframing a relationship with uncertainty is well within reach.
Embracing Uncertainty
So, how can we learn to embrace not having the answer? Let’s start by giving ourselves permission to feel. If uncertainty makes you feel a certain way, let yourself feel that feeling. By acknowledging our thoughts and feelings without trying to control them, we take away the power of uncertainty to debilitate us—we become more comfortable not knowing.
Therapeutic techniques, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) can also help individuals challenge their rigid thinking patterns and embrace flexibility, and we’ve seen great success with these sorts of interventions.
Look, we’re not saying you have to love uncertainty!
Even having a neutral relationship with uncertainty, rather than automatically seeing it as something negative, makes a huge difference. Accepting the fact that we won’t always know the answer makes us more resilient and adaptable, which—in our experience—are two crucial traits for navigating the recovery process.
Uncertainty will always exist, whether in our daily lives or in our decision to seek treatment.
Embracing uncertainty isn’t about throwing all caution to the wind. It’s about finding a way to be okay with not knowing.
Even in the absence of clear answers, our lives continue, and how they continue is ultimately up to us.
Sunshine Coast Health Centre and Georgia Strait Women’s Clinic are world-class centers for addiction treatment and mental health. We take an approach that recognizes the importance of the physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of individuals in treatment and recovery. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, give us a call today.
