Now that you’re in recovery, it’s time to start building healthy habits. By building up these healthy habits, you’ll reduce your risk of relapse. The first step towards recovery is treatment. Once you’ve realized that you have a drug or alcohol problem, it’s time to seek help. There are many treatment programs out there, such as inpatient or outpatient programs, that can help you get sober.
Once you complete your treatment program, it’s up to you to continue practicing healthy habits. While in treatment, your counselors will work with you to develop these habits, but you’ll have to motivate yourself, on your own, to continue. Here are five healthy habits that you should practice while in recovery.
1. Eat Healthy and Exercise
Creating a routine in your life will help you feel more normal. Not only that, but eating healthy and exercising regularly will also help you feel better. Drugs and alcohol can take a toll on your health, but you can fight back by eating healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Instead of indulging in drugs or alcohol, treat yourself to a slice of cake or a sugary treat when you’re feeling the need to break the cycle.
Exercise can also be a great coping mechanism. Going for a run or lifting weights will increase your endorphins. You can replace the high you got from drugs with a runner’s high, which is much, much healthier.
2. Surround Yourself with Positive People
Building a solid friend group is also crucial in recovery. You should stop hanging out with other people who do drugs and instead surround yourself with people who are eager to see you succeed. Hanging out with other people who are in recovery can be helpful as well, as long as they’re in a stable place. Having a friend relapse can be difficult, but it’s important to support each other throughout the process. Having friends that encourage you to stay clean can make all the difference.
3. Learn Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Many people turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to cope. When you’re in recovery, you have to learn healthy coping mechanisms. Try out journaling, yoga, or whatever makes you happy. You should have healthy options to turn to when you’re feeling sad or depressed. You should also have options on hand for when you feel like you might relapse. It’s important to have a plan, just in case.
4. Continue Seeking Support
Just because you’re out of treatment doesn’t mean you should stop seeing your therapist. You should continue working with support groups and counselors in order to talk about your feelings and deal with any struggles that may come up along the way. For many, that means attending a weekly group meeting or meeting with a therapist regularly. Find out what works for you and stick with it.
5. Find a Hobby
You should find new activities that make you happy throughout your recovery. You might not be able to participate in all of the activities you did before, so it’s important to find new hobbies that you love. Keeping yourself happy and busy is the best way to avoid relapse. If you’re bored, you may be more likely to turn back to drugs or alcohol.
Start Your Recovery Journey Today
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, give us a call. We’re eager to help you on your road to recovery. Here at Asheville Recovery Center, we offer a variety of different treatment programs. For more information, call us today to speak with a treatment specialist. We’re eager to answer any questions you may have.
