Recovery is not a no-brainer. It takes a lot of willpower and determination to stay focused on being sober and clean. There is no way to make it easier. The fact is, sobriety and being clean may be the hardest thing a person does, aside from going to rehab. A healthy recovery looks different for each person but there are some key things to note along the way that can be helpful. With a focus on healthy eating and lifestyle choices, a person can be healthier for the long journey of recovery.
Make Positive Choices
Even if this seems easy to do, it is anything but. Addictions are hard to break. They come from being in a toxic environment, with toxic ways of thinking and habits that are detrimental to a person’s health. Addiction recovery is more successful when a person commits to making positive lifestyle choices and changes for the long haul. There are many steps to take when it comes to navigating healing from addiction. The better a person cares for themselves, the better choices they make overall. Take better care of physical and mental health. Focus on healthy things that create lasting change. This can look a lot of different ways, but for starters:
- Explore new hobbies and interests
- Get into good physical shape with exercise (even if it is just walking)
- Explore emotional and spiritual wellness practices like journaling or being creative
- Go for walks with a pet or volunteer at the shelter to take care of other pets
- Practice a musical instrument and find some fun and joy in that endeavor
With a focus on recovery, it gives a healthier perspective on everything. Positive choices are just one way to step forward into the journey of healing.
Have Established Goals
Substance use has a lot to do with just living for the moment and seeking out ways to get high or stay high. Sobriety is something that builds slowly day by day but takes over a person’s life, eventually. Setting reasonable goals is helpful. Established goals with time-oriented tasks can help measure how well a person is creating the change they want to see. Some ideas for goals to set in recovery:
- Make them small and measurable
- Build up to a bigger goal down the line
- Keep a journal to track things
- Rewards are a good reminder of successes
Although it may seem silly at first, the brain is being retrained in recovery. The best way to retrain the brain to think differently is to give it new ideas and concepts. It needs to think differently and behave differently now in recovery than in days of addiction. Chemically some things may be different in the brain but it can still understand the reward principle that helped a person get addicted in the first place to drugs, just by replacing it with positive reinforcement to meet health goals.
Get Support
Healthy recovery means finding friends and loved ones who can be supportive. It is a good idea to find people who can help when triggers or cravings feel overwhelming. Coworkers can help people feel comfortable on the journey while at work. Bosses can be supportive of needing time off for recovery-based activities or therapy needed for addiction. Along with this, it is important to speak with professionals who have a better understanding of addiction. Professionals can help people develop a healthy understanding of addiction and treatment. Recovery is not for people who are unwilling to do the work. It is hard labor working every day. The right support people will:
- Listen without judgment
- Not enable bad behavior
- Let go of the past and work to forgive
- Seek their own self-care and support
- Work at their own recovery
The best support system is not always family. Sometimes they are the hardest ones because they were the most harmed by addictive behavior. What helps is finding people who can offer help and support when needed in the right way. This means seeking support from family and friends for the small things before they lead up to big things.
Healing Steps
It is hard to stay focused on recovery. It takes persistence and staying focused on long-term goals. To heal means work on building confidence for the journey, even when it is difficult. It does not mean a person will be perfect or get it alll ‘right. Even if a relapse happens, work to pick back up and try again. Support systems help people make better, healthier choices. With friends, family, and loved ones helping out, the journey does not feel so lonely. Isolation can bring feelings of shame and fear or trigger a person to relapse. It is important to seek out friendships, hobbies, and interests outside of recovery groups that bring a different perspective to life and let it become a new journey of discovery, day by day. That is the nature of a person’s work in recovery. To get better each day, with the help of others on the journey.
The Guest House Ocala knows the journey can be lonely at times. We come alongside those who are ready to quit using drugs or drinking and seek help for addiction. We offer programs and services to fit your individual needs. We will also help you set goals for after you leave rehab. That’s why Guest House is here to help you get started on the journey of recovery. Call us to find out how to get started: 1-855-483-7800