If you previously struggled with addiction, seeking treatment and deciding to embrace a life of sobriety is a huge change. This time of change can be a positive space in your life. You are taking steps forward to focus on yourself and others. Though you may have encountered obstacles, with positive peers and activity within the recovery community, you will continue to move forward.
During this time in your recovery journey, you may be looking for meaningful ways to connect with others and build a foundation of positive support. This article will discuss meaningful ideas for forming connections within your recovery community.
Sober Support
First of all, to maintain sobriety, you need to find a sober support system. In most treatment centers across the globe, you are highly encouraged to spend time with people who you can connect with. It has been said that the opposite of addiction is connection. Connecting with a sober support system can take many forms. For example, you may attend a 12-Step program, one of the best-known support systems for individuals in recovery.
12-Step Programs
When engaged in a 12-Step program, your peers hold you accountable. You can stay active within the 12-Step community by attending meetings on a regular basis. Some people participate in several meetings per week. This allows you to connect to others who are in recovery. At your first meeting, you will be offered a list of contacts, often known as your “lifeline.” When you need encouragement, these can be the first people you call.
You will gain new connections and engage in activities together. The choice is yours on how active you choose to be in meetings.
Regular Exercise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults need 150 minutes of exercise per week to stay physically healthy. Physical activity is an important part of focusing on your mental strength as well. Exercise helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your body. This is what gives you more focus and energy to address life’s stressors.
You could get involved with a local exercise group, go for a run, or join a gym. Perhaps you like dogs — taking a friendly dog for a walk is great exercise, and you may meet new people that way. Incorporate physical activity into your daily and weekly routine. It doesn’t matter what activity you choose to participate in, you just need to move.
Individual Therapy
There are many benefits to individual therapy. When you work with a therapist, you have someone to talk to about your life who can help you see your own behavior more clearly. Your therapist will listen to your thoughts. You will learn healthy coping skills to help you maintain your sobriety. Individual therapy will provide connection and accountability within your recovery. You can develop relapse prevention skills while working with a therapist and learn about resources within the recovery community. Perhaps most importantly, a therapist helps you to understand your thought processes better and, ultimately, can help you get to know yourself on a deeper level.
Group Therapy
Just as individual therapy can help you individually, group therapy can provide connections with a group of people who share common issues or goals. Therapy groups can be a positive experience because just as you are growing within your recovery, so are other group members. You will connect through stories of recovery and hope. Because we, as humans, are social creatures, we need human contact. This is part of the reason that group therapy is beneficial in recovery.
When you were abusing drugs or alcohol, you probably isolated yourself from the people you valued the most. You gave excuses and maybe even lied about why you could not go to a family function or some other event. Within a group setting, you are in a space of support and unconditional positive regard no matter what your actions were in the past.
Alumni Programs
As mentioned above, the opposite of addiction is connection. When you were in a space of active addiction, you may have isolated yourself from those who love you. Finding space in a supportive network of peers can allow for personal growth. When a community is present, you are less likely to go back into your old ways of thinking and more likely to connect with those who understand your journey.
The Guest House, like many treatment centers, offers an alumni program that welcomes you no matter where you are on your recovery journey. You will have the choice to spend as little or as much time as you want within the alumni program.
There are many benefits to an alumni program. For example, an alumni program allows you to stay active within the recovery community, possibly with people you met in treatment. You will have opportunities to attend functions with others who support your journey. Connection is key to a healthy and long-lasting recovery.
Alumni programs provide an opportunity to build and maintain healthy relationships. It can be difficult to find people who share your values and goals, let alone develop connections. The Guest House is full of people who are just like you and want to grow with you. An alumni program can help you grow on your terms and provide you with safety and accountability.
You have arrived at a place where you yearn to have a connection within the recovery community. You want to stay active and not isolate. You might be ready for a change within your recovery. Despite there being many ways to stay involved in recovery, you may find yourself hitting a wall. You may not know where to turn or who to reach out to. An alumni program can help you by giving you a way to stay active in the recovery community. The caring professionals at The Guest House understand your struggle and would be glad to answer all of your questions. Give us a call at (855) 483-7800. We are here to help.