If you are currently trying to recover from addiction, you know the road ahead will not be easy. While some days may feel as if it will be impossible for you to ever have a normal life once again, it is important to remember that recovering from addiction is a marathon, not a sprint. There are various steps you will need to take along the way to reach your goals. Deciding to overcome addiction is an achievement in and of itself. However, your method does play a role in how successful you’ll be. If you’re ready to steer your life back on track, here are the support steps you should take at once.
Seek Professional Help
There are so many quality treatment facilities that can help you kick your addiction. The reason treatment centers have rehabilitated so many people is their experience with treating the cause of addiction. Many addicts believe that simply detoxing their bodies will be enough to get clean. However, the psychological reasoning behind your substance abuse must be addressed.
Cognitive therapy options are easily accessible in treatment facilities. Best of all, the employees are well-versed in the psychiatric field you need to overcome to kick your addiction for good. Once you identify your substance abuse triggers, you’ll have an easier time avoiding them after seeking professional help. For instance, trying to treat addiction at home leaves you in the environment that caused your condition. If you’re triggered, it’s easier for you to use again to reduce stress. If you’re in treatment, you’ll have an easier time avoiding triggers and learning how to adequately cope with them prior to going back home.
Build a Supportive Network
When you are trying to recover from addiction, one of the most important things you can do is have a supportive network of friends, family members, and other people you trust to help you get through the tough times. Whether it’s someone you need to call in the middle of the night, friends who can drive you to meetings, or a former teacher or minister who can give you encouragement, having people you can count on during recovery will be crucial to your success.
While having family support is great during recovery, being around people who understand what you’re going through can help motivate you even more. Treatment centers offer group therapy sessions that allow you to share and support other people battling addiction. In most cases, addicts find support groups the preferable choice between group and individual therapy.
When it comes to receiving individual attention, professionals are the best choice for facilitating constructive support. They can also provide family support that teaches your loved ones how to properly care for you once you’re no longer in the program.
Expect Good Days and Bad Days
When you are in the midst of addiction recovery, have a realistic view of what to expect. For starters, expect to have good days and bad days. While this won’t necessarily mean you will relapse, expect to have days when you are more optimistic and others where you are discouraged. In doing so, you can acknowledge your feelings and move forward one day at a time. On particularly good or bad days, take a moment to determine if there are any factors that might be helping or hurting you.
If you do have a relapse, don’t think that all of your progress hasn’t amounted to anything. Instead, work patiently to find strategies that will help you avoid future relapses. While some individuals might feel too ashamed or worried about their slip-ups, it’s important to seek support when you do not feel like you’re at your best.
Work on Your Treatment Plan
To really get your life back on track, be willing to work on your treatment plan each and every day. This will mean going to all scheduled meetings and following all other aspects of your treatment plan since it is a plan made just for you and your addiction. Since you have already put in plenty of hard work to get this far, working on your plan will be practically effortless in comparison.
If you’re feeling stuck, you can always ask others for help by providing an example or by asking questions that will help refine your own plan. When creating your plan, consider some of your goals, potential trials, and how you can keep track of your progress. Figure out how you can make your treatment plan personal and meaningful.
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
After battling addiction and finishing up your initial treatment sessions, it is always beneficial if you adopt a healthy lifestyle. Whether you were involved in outpatient or inpatient treatment, having a regular exercise program and eating healthier will help you reap numerous benefits. In some cases, people start exercising while in treatment. Whether you decide to use aerobics, weightlifting, or jogging, combining exercise and healthy foods will help you get closer to being back on track.
It’s commendable that you want to better yourself and overcome your addiction. Although it’s a good idea to seek all available support, you should highly consider professional support. Not only can a professional facility offer you tools to address the mental causes of your substance abuse but they also give you and your family healthy coping mechanisms to help you remain sober. By using these steps and giving yourself room to grow as a person, having the life you truly want and deserve will be easier than you imagined.
