Recovery from an addiction is a difficult journey, but not an impossible one. Establishing the first steps in recovery will set a path towards a permanent, sustainable, and healthy life, free from addiction and pain. Whether seeking treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction, counseling, treatment, and support are necessary for living an addiction-free life. Most addiction rehabilitation procedures follow similar trajectories. After intake into a primary treatment program, detox and rehabilitation will follow. However, each person’s final step of recovery is different due to its ongoing nature. Those in recovery will find themselves without the life-saving restrictions of life in a treatment program for the first time. This is when a relapse can occur. In order to prevent that, an action plan with specific steps is vital.
At Westwind Recovery®, our addiction treatment center provides the perfect setting for the first steps of addiction recovery. Find out more about the first steps of addiction recovery from our team today by calling 855.340.8832 or contacting us online.
Make a Plan
One of the first steps of addiction recovery is to make a plan. Support systems, tools, and personal care can maximize wellness and productivity, but a specific plan of action can lead towards permanent success in post-treatment life.
Mental health professionals like doctors, counselors, and sponsors can guide the creation of this plan and assist in seeing it through. The plan serves as a dependable guide in life once treatment and detox are completed. By following it down to the last detail, recovery will have a system, practicality, and purpose for the individual. There is only success once each person finds the right methodology and structured routine for them. Carefully monitoring work, leisure time, activities, health, and social factors should be part of the action plan during recovery’s first steps.
How A Community Can Help
Certain social environments can be the cause of addiction and mental health illness, but the right changes in social environments can be the solution to recovery. People often hide their behaviors, actions, or facets of their lives in order to serve their addiction. However, one of the first steps in recovery is to develop an openness to share with others.
A community provides the foundation for this through:
- Therapy
- Communal living
- Peer support
- Sponsors
- Mentors
Typical primary alcohol treatment programs last anywhere from 30 days to six weeks. While treatment occurs over a short time period, the true challenge awaits when returning to their regular, everyday lives. While chronic relapse rates are common, going through the recovery process with others can lead to a higher chance of successful recovery.
For recovering alcoholics, AA meetings are a necessary step in recovery. Voicing doubts and seeking help becomes easier in regular group meetings and communal living situations. Group forums in a trusted community are a safe place for people to tackle obstacles, find guidance and shared support, and handle responsibility for their own recovery.
Additionally, organized activities like yoga, meditation, outdoor group excursions, and a focus on spirituality are often a part of community living. These activities reduce stress, provide joy, and fill time productively to help individuals embrace a new life. Also, multiple studies have shown that physical activity can be a catalyst for successful addiction recovery.
Individual Steps Towards Recovery
Practicing acceptance, self-respect, honesty, and mindfulness are individual steps that can serve as an anchor for day-to-day living. Acceptance allows those recovering to understand past mistakes while focusing on the recovery at hand. Self-respect is a necessary step to accept and welcome the new person they are in recovery.
Honesty is another crucial step that can help prevent relapse. Attending meetings, therapy sessions, and joining activities can bolster the skills and bravery to be forthcoming about struggles during the journey. Mindfulness helps people focus on living in the present moment. For those in recovery, this allows people to let go of residual shame from past mistakes while focusing entirely on the present process. Mindfulness also results in keeping stress levels down and renewed focus.
Take the First Steps of Addiction Recovery at Westwind Recovery®
Starting addiction recovery means entering into treatment with the support of mental health professionals, support groups, peers, or sponsors to voice doubts, fears, or thoughts. Self-compassion, honesty, courage, and a strong sense of purpose can help guide a person towards a successful recovery.
Active recovery and maintenance require the understanding that people will need to work on recovery for a long and undetermined amount of time. Avoiding isolation is also crucial to prevent relapse. This consistent, ongoing process necessitates the support of others. Support systems are part of the larger plan of action that helps transition towards living an addiction-free life.
Reach out to Westwind Recovery® online or at 855.340.8832 to learn more about our addiction recovery center in Los Angeles. Here, you’ll find the support you need for the first steps in recovery.
Dr. Deena is the Chief Clinical Officer of Westwind Recovery®, an award-winning outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles where she oversees the clinical and administrative program and treatment methods. Dr. Deena is a doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker since 1993. LCSW #20628. Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Deena has worked running treatment centers, worked as a therapist in psychiatric hospitals as well as school settings and currently has a thriving private practice in the LA area. Dr. Deena has appeared regularly on the Dr. Phil Show as an expert since 2003. She has also been featured on many other TV shows, podcasts and has contributed to written publications as well as podcasts.
