Breaking an addiction and beginning a recovery journey often feels isolating, confusing, and intimidating. There are many things to work on and improve while navigating a sea of triggers and new relationships. However, there are a few things that everyone struggling with an addiction can keep in mind when beginning their recovery journey.
Addiction recovery in San Antonio, Texas does not have to be a lonely experience. At The Right Step Hill Country, we know how important it is to receive support from a compassionate team of addiction specialists that can provide the education and skills needed to succeed in sobriety. Call 1.844.675.1628 today to learn more about our addiction treatment programs and begin developing your recovery plan.
Top 7 Do’s and Don’ts of Addiction Recovery
1. Do Celebrate the Wins
Celebrating wins can be especially crucial for people in addiction recovery. When the brain recognizes success, it can release dopamine, which experts often call a “feel-good” chemical. People struggling with addiction may have a hard time naturally producing dopamine, so celebrating rewards can help restore their ability.
Sharing your successes with close friends and family members can also help reinforce progress. Setting a specific time each week to celebrate the wins can help make a healthy habit and curve triggers for substance use.
2. Don’t Get Complacent in Recovery
Since addiction is a disease, managing it will rely on monitoring genetic and environmental responses. In short, developing healthy habits to change behaviors is critical to recovery. Becoming complacent can lead to ruined habits and even relapse.
Even after they become easy, maintaining habits can be crucial to sobriety. While it is important to be proud of the progress made, recovery is a lifelong journey that takes discipline, not just motivation. Resisting the urge to become complacent and pushing forward with healthy habits can help continue progress.
3. Do Continue Therapy and Peer Support
Residential treatment is a great way to start the recovery journey. Focusing on individual goals and needs in a supportive environment is crucial to maintaining the early commitment to sobriety. Individual, group, and family therapy sessions are standard parts of a residential treatment program.
After leaving residential treatment, finding support and therapy helps maintain the skills learned and build new ones. Connecting with more people who struggle with or broke free from addiction can help maintain perspective and keep an eye on the goal of lifelong recovery.
4. Don’t Expect Addiction Recovery Stories to Be the Same
Everyone’s recovery journey is different. People achieve and maintain a sober lifestyle in different ways. Some types of addictions can benefit from medications, while others may not. Some people find that one round of professional treatment is enough, but others need to build on what they’ve learned by returning to rehab.
Comparisons can be discouraging. If someone else’s recovery looks easier, many people begin to think that there’s something wrong and that they’ll never succeed. Remember that each person is unique, and each recovery journey will be individual.
5. Do Practice Self-Care and Coping Skills
Many people effectively learn self-care and coping skills in treatment, but lasting recovery involves more than knowledge. Relapses can happen at any time but are most likely when someone is under stress. By prioritizing self-care and building productive, positive routines, they’ll seem more like second nature when a stressful situation strikes.
Building healthy routines and habits requires motivation and discipline. Motivation can come from something as simple as a list of pros and cons in a smartphone or wallet. Listing the consequences of returning to substance use and the benefits of staying sober can help maintain progress.
Remaining disciplined in healthy habits like exercise, meditation, or journaling can be simplified by setting alarms. Asking a friend or family member to call at a prearranged time as a reminder can also be effective. Hearing their voice can also be a great source of motivation.
6. Don’t Return to Triggering People or Places
Sometimes, a seemingly small trigger can initiate cravings, like a smell or a sound. More prominent reminders, like places and people common during substance use, can be especially harmful and challenging to escape. Some places, like home, are impossible to avoid. Rearranging or replacing furniture or painting the walls a different color can help manage this trigger.
Giving up substance-using friends is often one of the most emotionally challenging parts of the recovery journey. Humans are social creatures who need connection with others to be emotionally strong. During recovery, The goal is to replace unhealthy relationships with healthy ones and spend time with people who support sobriety goals.
7. Do Share Your Story
Did someone help you start your recovery journey? You can be that person for someone else. Sharing your experience with substance use and recovery can help others see similar consequences in their own lives, and sharing your successes can inspire them.
You can help others learn new tools for success or remind them to use those they already have. The stakes are high, and helping people escape the trap of addiction is vitally important.
Addiction Recovery Starts with The Right Step Hill Country
We can support you no matter where you are in your recovery journey. Our wide variety of treatment options, including residential treatment, outpatient programs, and virtual services, can help you find your way to a better, healthier you.
Put your best foot forward with The Right Step Hill Country by calling 1.844.675.1628 today.
Comments are closed.