You may have the mistaken belief that your time spent dealing with addiction has irreparably ruined your life. But no matter what you’re been through, there is hope for restoration and recovery.
Your recovery can be a journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth. However, it does require patience, a good support network, and a commitment to change
The Three Rs of Addiction to Recovery
The three Rs of recovery are Recognize, Rehabilitate, and Relapse prevention. Keeping them in mind allows you to take steps to implement them in your life in tangible ways. These may include:
Help from a healthcare professional is crucial in the early stages of your recovery. Professional help can provide guidance and tools to help you manage triggers and maintain your abstinence on an everyday level.
- Mental Health Professionals: Therapists and counselors can provide individual and group therapy services to examine the underlying issues that may be contributing to your addiction. Therapy helps you learn coping skills. It can also provide you with education about your addiction and enable you to learn coping skills. In addition, you’ll learn how to create a strong, supportive recovery network.
- Support Groups: Support groups provide a safe space to share your experiences, associate with others in recovery, and receive advice and support.
- Medical Professionals: In recovery, you may need professional help managing your physical health, sourcing appropriate medications, and managing any co-occurring medical issues.
- Rehab programs: Addiction rehabs provide structured treatment programs with all-inclusive treatment plans, medical support, and therapy.
A strong support system is necessary for long-term recovery. Friends, family, and support groups offer accountability and encouragement.
Connect with friends, family members, or mentors who understand and support your recovery. Tell them how they can help, and be patient with them and yourself. Provide positive feedback when they help.
If you want to join a support group, aim to meet regularly to connect with others with similar challenges and experiences. Studies show that the more often a person goes to recovery support meetings in their first three months of recovery, the more likely they are to reach an entire year of abstinence.
What to Look For in a Support Group
- Do you want a group that focuses on moderation or an abstinence-focused lifestyle?
- Do you want a group that focuses on a specific substance?
- Do you want a group that includes religion or spirituality?
- Do you need an online treatment group?
Set limits with people who may obstruct your recovery or trigger relapse. Recognizing negative influences is an important step to protect your recovery. These influences may be:
- People who actively abuse substances and encourage you to use
- Surroundings associated with your past use or triggers
- Activities or objects that remind you of using or trigger cravings
- Negative self-talk or rationalizations that can cause relapse
When rebuilding your life after a period of addiction, setting clear goals and routines provides a feeling of stability and purpose.
- Set Realistic Goals: Begin with small, attainable goals and work gradually towards bigger ones.
- Establish a Daily Routine: Create a structured schedule with time for work, self-care and leisure time.
- Make Self-Care a Priority: Participate in activities that promote mental, physical, and emotional well-being, such as hobbies and exercise.
It’s crucial to develop healthy coping mechanisms for managing cravings and triggers.
- Recognize Your Triggers: Identify situations, people, or emotions that might trigger you to use.
- Mindfulness: Mindfulness exercises will help you stay present and aware of your feelings and thoughts.
- Develop Healthy Habits: Replace unhealthy habits with positive ones, such as reading, exercising, or spending time outside.
It can take time and effort, but repairing relationships and rebuilding trust can be done.
- Be Open and Honest: Communicate honestly and openly with your loved ones about your recovery.
- Make Amends: Apologize for your past conduct and take positive steps to repair any harm caused by your addiction.
- Be Patient: It will take time to rebuild trust and for relationships to heal. Focus on staying consistent on your recovery efforts, and let relationships come together (or not) naturally.
The Importance of Hope in Recovery
Addiction recovery is a complicated process. The journey is never smooth, but it’s a road you must take to move from self-destruction to wellness. However, there is one constant component to recovery, and that is hope.
For addiction recovery, hope is a foundation and the energy that can drive you to find a way to get better. Hope gives you peace and joy because you know that a better tomorrow is on the horizon. Without hope and a desire to recover, there wouldn’t be any motivation to get well and little meaningful action. A hopeful style of thinking is associated with coping and better adjustment when dealing with stress.
Visualizing a Hopeful Future
Research has shown that individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), also called addiction, tend to have difficulty imagining their futures and the ability to put off rewards. Their attention focuses on getting rewards in the near future, such as the next drink or drug score. As mentioned in the steps above, initiating meaningful and realistic goals is a crucial way to help you visualize a hopeful future. Having goals will provide direction and purpose and help you imagine a better future.
Accepting Your Current Situation
Accepting your current situation lays the building block for growth and healing. It involves acknowledging where you are, understanding your feelings, and committing to moving ahead. Here are some tips to accepting your situation after addiction:
- Define your current reality: Admit the truth about your current situation without judgment. Be honest about past actions, present struggles, and the impact of your addiction on your life at large.
- Identify emotions: Give yourself permission to feel your emotions, whether it’s guilt, shame, anger or sadness.
- Self-compassion: Treat yourself with understanding and kindness. Avoid excessive self-blame and concentrate on self-care.
- Focus on the present: Don’t dwell on the past. Focus on what you can do today to support your recovery.
- Get support: Connect with people who understand your situation. This may be a support group, therapist, or trusted family members and friends.
Pursuing Growth and Opportunities
Recovery is not just about abstinence. It’s also about creating a meaningful and fulfilling life. Here are some ways to pursue growth and opportunities:
- Concentrate on practicing physical, mental, and emotional health care.
- Set realistic short- and long-term goals for yourself, such as attending weekly or daily support groups or staying abstinent and career, relationship, and educational goals.
- Try out new activities and hobbies based on your interests.
- Join clubs or groups related to things you enjoy.
- Build your support network by going to meetings and finding a sponsor.
- Learn new skills by attending classes, workshops, or seminars.
- Explore career possibilities by updating your resume, volunteering, or interning to learn new skills.
- Network with others by connecting with people in your field, attending job fairs, and informing your support system that you’re looking for work.
- Practice gratitude by focusing on the positive aspects of your life and telling others that you appreciate their kindness and support.
- Be patient with yourself, celebrate the small victories, and learn from the setbacks.
Giving Back to the Community
During recovery, giving back to your community can be a powerful way to build connections, reinforce sobriety, and find new meaning in your life. Examples of how you can give back include:
- Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or shelter: Providing support and meals to people in need can give you a feeling of gratitude and purpose.
- Join in community clean-up events: Helping to beautify your community can build a feeling of ownership and pride.
- Be a mentor to other people in recovery: Offering guidance to a person just starting recovery can be rewarding for both people.
- Offer specific contributions: If you have particular skills or talents, you can volunteer your time to share them with others.
- Join a structured donation program: Support local charities by donating your time or resources.
Embrace Your New Path at Westwind Recovery®
Start your recovery journey with Westwind Recovery®. We are here to help you facilitate the 3 Rs, beginning with recognizing that you or a loved one needs help. To address the second R, we have several rehab programs, including:
An in-person PHP is the highest level of outpatient care. It is similar in intensity to a residential program, except you can go home in the evenings. You will spend full days at the treatment center, receiving comprehensive treatment from a team of medical professionals. PHPs typically last up to eight hours per day, five days per week.
Our IOP will allow you to handle work or family commitments while attending therapy programs. This program requires three to five days in treatment for up to four hours per day.
OPs offer if you aren’t severely addicted or have completed a high level of care. You will attend counseling sessions for an individually set number of hours and days per week.
Our therapists are experienced in many behavioral therapies, including individual and group therapies. Because we know that addiction affects everyone in a family, we also offer family therapy. Through extensive counseling, you will have the opportunity to learn relapse prevention skills that will last the rest of your life.
Westwind offers these programs and more to support you or your loved one. Recovery is a complicated process you shouldn’t try to deny or go through it alone. Contact us today to learn more.
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.
