Negative habits are one of the many unfortunate byproducts of addiction. In order to break the cycle, it is essential to create healthy habits while you’re in recovery. It may seem daunting at first, but with consistency and determination, you will find yourself committed to a positive routine in no time.
Why Are Healthy Habits Important?
The cycle of addiction, in and of itself, is considered a negative habit. It can also come along with other negative habits, like bad diet, weight gain, and smoking. Replacing these negative habits with healthy ones can help you get into a new cycle that will support lasting sobriety.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), having “self-defined routines and habits can offer personal balance and satisfaction.” These routines and habits can lead to positive feelings, better relationships, increased energy, emotional grounding, and inspiration to be creative.
How Are Habits Formed?
Even though you know it’s bad for you, it can feel next to impossible to break the cycle of negative habits like an addiction. According to NIH News in Health, habits can form through repetition in everyday activities, like sleeping or brushing your teeth. They can also develop as a result of events that trigger the brain’s “reward” centers. The NIH calls these “pleasure-based habits.”
The pleasure-based habits can be harder to break because they prompt your brain to release dopamine, an effect common in addiction. When this happens over and over again, a craving can be created because your brain wants to continue receiving those dopamine hits.
Tools to Create Healthy Habits in Recovery
Creating healthier habits all starts with a desire to change. Once you choose to start breaking the cycle, you can implement a healthier routine that supports better eating, lifestyle changes, physical fitness, and more.
30-Day Calendar
The more you implement healthy changes in your life, the faster you will see results. A great way to initiate this change is by tracking your habits over the course of 30 days. You can print out a blank 30-day calendar and record your healthy habits each day. Remember to be gentle with yourself. If you miss a day or two, just pick back up and keep moving forward.
Meditation and Mindfulness
Mindfulness-based activities like meditation can have an amazing impact on many different areas of your life and help you break negative routines. You can start a daily meditative practice to help you anchor into the present moment and release stress and unease. You can also choose to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine by focusing on simple tasks each day using the five senses.
Peer and Clinical Support
Creating healthy habits may not always be easy when you try to do it all on your own. Leaning on peers in support groups or therapy can help you feel a lot less alone. Clinical support staff at a quality recovery center can also help you stay accountable to your positive habits and goals. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. Support can be your greatest tool in finding lasting sobriety.
Creating healthy habits is crucial in recovery and for long-term sobriety. The cycle of addiction can be broken by incorporating healthy habits and routines in your daily life. At The Guest House, we aim to help you create routines to empower you through recovery. We offer various programs like adventure therapy and equine therapy that can help you re-discover joy in life. We also offer many traditional and nontraditional modalities to help you create healthy routines to support your journey. Call us at (855) 483-7800.