Rehabilitation at a professional medical-based facility is a necessity for addiction recovery. However, the rehabilitation process is not limited to the facility itself. As someone in recovery, there are many ways in which you can further your rehabilitation.
It’s important to do this once you’ve left the addiction center and its treatments. At this stage, you’ll be faced with many changes in your life. But you might not be sure what adjustments you’ll need to make for self-rehabilitation at home.
Three Major Areas of Well-being
Think about the treatments you’ve received so far. What is it that they seemed to focus on? What made them so successful? And how can you continue them at home once treatment is over?
Addiction centers provide treatments and services that cover three major areas of your life: your physical, psychological, and interpersonal well-being. By making changes to keep these areas of your life balanced and healthy, you’ll stand a stronger chance of staying sober with less risk of relapsing.
Physical Self-Rehabilitation at Home
Regaining physical health is always the first step in the addiction recovery process. When you enter a treatment center, you won’t be healthy— after all, the whole reason you’re there is to quit a dangerous addiction that’s threatening your health. The direct health deficits that came about as a result of your drug abuse will be treated during your time in rehab. This includes, first and foremost, going through detox and withdrawing from drugs and alcohol in a safe way. Your treatment center will also likely incorporate physical movement into your program, through exercise classes, yoga, mindful meditation, or other outdoor activities.
Proper nutrition will also likely be emphasized during your treatment program, as many clients enter treatment malnourished, dehydrated, or deficient in essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Establishing a foundational baseline of health is imperative for sustaining long-term recovery. The body needs nutrients to recover.
So, treatment will set you on the path to wellness. But what about after you leave your treatment program?
Keeping your physical health at its peak is an important aspect of self-rehabilitation once treatment is over. The best changes you can make to your lifestyle in order to support your physical health in recovery is the implementation of a balanced diet and regular exercise. Many treatment programs offer nutritional therapy or classes—if those are offered, take notes and incorporate those suggestions into your daily life when you get home. It doesn’t have to be an overnight matter, or an “all or nothing” mentality—even small steps toward better care can make a huge difference in your physical, as well as mental and emotional, wellbeing.
There is an acronym in recovery that is referred to as “HALT.” HALT stands for “Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.” It is recommended to check in with oneself, and if you are having a hard time, ask yourself if any of these apply: are you hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? These simple experiences can have a huge impact on our mood, and can spiral something into a big deal. Keeping it simple and taking care of our basic needs first can make all the difference. When we pause and are able to identify and better recognize what is going on for us, we are better equipped to take care of ourselves.
If your substance abuse was linked to a chronic illness— muscle pain, for example— you’ll need to find alternate ways to treat and cope with it. Your support system and the team at your recovery center can help you do this.
Psychological Self-Rehabilitation at Home
One of the most distinguished aspects of most addiction recovery centers is their options for psychological treatment. Addiction, after all, is a disease of both the mind and the body, so its effects on you are more than physical.
You may have turned to substance abuse to cope with anxiety, depression or even a past trauma, and you are not the only one. Most addiction treatment centers offer individual or group psychotherapy to pinpoint the root of your addiction – and to find healthier ways of dealing with it.
Continuing to work on your psychological well-being after rehab is one of the most important aspects of self-rehabilitation, especially if it turns out that you suffer from a co-occurring disorder that your addiction was masking.
By continuing to see a professional and practicing healthy means of expressing your feelings— through art, music, or other creative mediums— you can create a better headspace for yourself and address issues that may have been overshadowed by your addiction.
Interpersonal Change and Self-Rehabilitation at Home
One of the most damaging aspects of addiction is what it does to distort your character. When you abused substances to escape your physical or mental demons, you probably found yourself acting very much unlike yourself.
Many loved ones might have even told you that your addiction made you a different person. This is not uncommon in substance abuse, which is why addressing interpersonal issues is essential in the recovery process. Some of the most difficult changes you’ll need to make are interpersonal in nature.
Outside of your treatment facility, some of the interpersonal changes you might make during your self-rehabilitation may include:
- Avoiding places where you used to abuse substances
- Cutting off contact with people you used to abuse substances with
- Distancing yourself from other who might enable your substance abuse
- Spending time with others who support your sobriety and your progress
- Learning how to have fun without substance abuse
- Rediscovering who you are without addiction by doing new or different things with your newfound free time
Learn Self-Rehabilitation Techniques from Asheville Recovery Center
Addiction is a disease that damages the mind, body, and spirit. During recovery, it’s just as important for you to learn how to take care of yourself as it is for others to help you. At Asheville Recovery Center, our programs are designed to help you succeed both in and out of rehab. If you have any questions about what to include in your self-rehabilitation regimen, please call us at (828)518-6996.
