Whether its Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous or any of the other 12 step programs, structure and discipline is the key. Can-Am Interventions has put together a basic rule book to follow for addicts in early recovery and beyond. Early recovery is a fragile and unknown territory for those use to a life of active addiction. Below is a list of guidelines that can help you stay on track and get the most from your recovery.
1. Do celebrate 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.
Help?
Many newly recovering addicts find early recovery to be challenging in an unknown territory. This is very normal. There is such a major change that happens very quickly that can leave a newcomer with many feelings of confusion and being overwhelmed. Everyone will experience this. Everyone who trusts the program and pushes through will overcome those feelings and thus build their foundation of their recovery. But it can’t be done alone. Having a support system such as family, friends, co-workers or professional help is crucial to the success of your recovery. Can-Am is here for those who are currently in active addiction to help provide a treatment plan to help them reach recovery and for those in recovery that require ongoing council to aid their recovery. If someone you care about is struggling with these types of issues, please reach out to us. We are here for you.
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