Addiction recovery is not a short-term process. While rehab can be life changing, what comes after is as important. Adapting to regular life takes work, there is one crucial principle to take heed of: the lifestyle you lived before is no longer adequate.
This does not mean that you have to change everything. On the contrary, it is in finding stability that you maintain your health and wellness. However, you will need to make adjustments.
The good news is that these adjustments need not be complex. Rather, they should be geared towards your strengths so as to be sustainable.
Here are 10 lifestyle changes proven to help adjust to regular life and avoid relapse.
1. Create a Simple Daily Routine
Mental health experts emphasize the importance of routine for people recovering from mental illness and addiction in particular. There are a number of reasons for this:
- Distract from cravings: on the simplest level, having a clear routine ensures you don’t spend idle time vulnerable to the urge to use substances
- Stability and security: substances are often used in an attempt to exert control over one’s internal experience… or to numb oneself to a perceived lack of control. By providing a sense of stability and security, a routine enables the person to feel more at ease, lessening the urge to seek control
- Self-esteem: People in recovery from addiction often struggle with low self-esteem. This can be reinforced when they are unsure what to do during a day and feel like they’re wasting time. Sticking to a routine makes it easier to build self-esteem through a sense of productivity and accomplishment.
The key for many recovering addicts is to remember that one person’s routine can look very different to another’s. There is no ‘right’ way to spend a day.
Your routine should include simple things like taking care of hygiene, light housekeeping, work or study (or the search for a meaningful path forward if you are not working or at school), and hobbies. Nothing is too ‘unimportant’ to go in your routine.
2. Prioritize Self-Care
On that note, let’s discuss something many people do not take seriously… or even see as self-indulgent. Self-care is crucial for maintaining balance in your life and should never be sacrificed for the sake of additional productivity.
Some recovering addicts can attest to the role of a lack of self-care in their life in triggering their addiction. They may have started to use substances due to a sense of being overwhelmed, or even to stay awake or focused longer in order to get more done.
It is actually self-care that is the most effective way of ensuring everything else you do is both manageable and meaningful.
Set time in your daily routine for self-care. Ensure that you spend at least a few minutes every day relaxing and centering yourself. Include times during which you can enjoy your favorite leisure activities, such as reading or listening to music.
3. Ease Into Exercise
Studies have consistently shown that physical exercise is good for your mental health. In some cases, it can be as effective as antidepressants!
There is an added element for people recovering from addiction: addiction takes a heavy toll on the body. Due to the influence of substances and related neglect, a person’s body may take time to recover.
It is incredibly important to take baby steps towards this goal. If you are running, for example, set aside a short amount of time each day and gradually work your way up. Your workout may be a minute of jogging, followed by a minute of walking. You can then repeat that two or three times. It gets easier with practice.
Go with an exercise you have enjoyed in the past (or that you preferred to other exercises). If you try too much too soon, you may find yourself dreading it every day.
4. Eat Three Times a Day
In a similar vein, good nutrition is important for healing your body when in recovery. Ideally, you should follow a plan approved by a dietician, eating only foods that provide important nutrients. However, there are obstacles that might get in your way, such as a lack of time to cook or the cost of healthy ingredients.
As such, your starting point should be to eat three times a day. This is because your body needs to get used to being fed at regular intervals. It may not be possible to eat the ‘perfect’ meals, but having breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day will make a huge difference.
5. Build Your Support Network
People who suffer from mental health conditions often report isolation and loneliness. A lack of a social support network can lead to issues with mental health and addiction.
Unfortunately, when a person is addicted to substances, their social interactions begin to revolve around substance use. The sense of isolation may be temporarily lifted, but at a huge cost. When one leaves rehab, they find themselves struggling to socialize as their friends are still using drugs.
It is therefore important to actively work to build your support network. Start by assessing which sober friends you can count on. A great way to increase your circle is by going to support meetings with other recovering addicts. They understand what you’ve been through and you can help each other stay sober or clean.
6. Find New Hobbies
Many adults have no ready answer when asked what they do for fun. People addicted to drugs or alcohol often answer that they enjoy partying. Upon leaving rehab, they find that they do not have healthy hobbies. Unfortunately, it may not help to look towards what friends are doing, as people tend not to prioritize their own enjoyment.
This can seem bleak at first, but searching for new hobbies can become exciting. There are many hobbies that you can try without spending a lot of money. You can pick up an instrument or learn to code. You can start writing or doing simple sketches. You can play chess online or plant your own herb garden.
You can do all of the above!
The crucial thing to remember is that you’re not trying to prove anything to anyone or to create a ‘product’. It doesn’t matter whether you are naturally good at the hobbies you try – only that you enjoy them.
7. Get Into Mindfulness
You may have spent some time in mindfulness sessions while in rehab. If so, you know that mindfulness can be very effective not only at helping you avoid relapse but also at building a sense of meaning.
There are many ways to start or to continue learning mindfulness today. Read articles online or books by authors such as Jon Kabat-Zinn. Download mindfulness apps that provide free guided meditations.
Not everyone takes to mindfulness with ease, but if you commit to the practice, you may find your life changing for the better as time goes by.
8. Avoid Triggers and Risky Situations
Learning to avoid triggers is a critical step in your recovery post-rehab. Triggers can be anything that sparks the desire to use substances, including people, places, emotions, or situations previously associated with substance use. Common triggers include:
- Emotional Triggers: Stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and boredom.
- Environmental Triggers: Bars, clubs, or neighborhoods where substances were often used.
- Social Triggers: Being around people who use substances or who encourage substance use.
Identifying these triggers involves self-reflection and, often, working with your therapist. By understanding what sets off your cravings, you can develop better strategies to manage or avoid these triggers.
Part of the process is to create a safe environment. Take a look at your living space and consider whether it supports or hinders your recovery.
Remove any temptations you find, including substances and paraphernalia. Surround yourself with reminders of your commitment to recovery, such as motivational quotes, books, or recovery-related materials. Also, create areas in your home or workplace where you feel safe and supported. These could be designated spots for relaxation, exercise, or meditation.
9. Seek Financial Advice
Addiction to substances can take a heavy toll on your finances. You may be struggling to make ends meet, and your credit record might have suffered. If so, you should seek financial advice so that this does not overwhelm you.
A consultation with an expert – whether you hire someone or ask a friend or family member for help – can give you a headstart in regaining financial stability. Don’t neglect this important task. It will help ease your mind about your future.
10. Continue Learning
Recovery does not have a set end-date. You may have to continue working on it for a while, or even indefinitely. It is therefore important to continue learning and building your skills.
Reach out to the professionals who have helped you along the way to ensure you have the resources to stay on track.
If you’re starting your recovery journey, or need help finding the next step, call Seasons in Malibu today.
Sources
- Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy: Recovery post treatment: plans, barriers and motivation. Accessed 24 June 2024
- NIH: Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review. Accessed 24 June 2024
- NIH: Emotional and Social Loneliness in Individuals With and Without Substance Dependence Disorder. Accessed 24 June 2024
