Navigating long-term recovery and a new lifestyle can be incredibly challenging for those recovering from addiction. Since recovery is not a process that ever truly ends, you must adapt your recovery plans and address both the physical and emotional impacts of substance use.
Long-term recovery also requires you to create a new lifestyle that supports your addiction recovery. For many people, this can be a difficult process, especially if you don’t know where to begin.
In this article, we will be discussing long-term recovery and new lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of relapsing.
The Dangers of Relapsing
When you begin your recovery journey from substance use disorder, the biggest danger is the risk of relapsing. A relapse is when somebody who has been recovering from an addiction returns to substance abuse.
Even though you can still recover from substance abuse after experiencing a relapse, relapse can have long-term repercussions. For instance, those who experience one or more relapses have a higher likelihood of continuing to relapse in the future.
One of the biggest contributions to relapse is not creating a new lifestyle that aligns with your recovery goals. When you begin addiction recovery, you need to evaluate your lifestyle and make changes so that you are prioritizing your physical and mental health as well as avoiding triggers. Only then will you be able to truly achieve long-term recovery and reduce your risk of relapsing addiction and maintaining sobriety.
Strategies For Creating a New Lifestyle in Recovery
After experiencing addiction, it is very likely that you will need to build your life from the ground up. For most people, their addiction unravels every aspect of their lives, which can make the recovery process feel even more intimidating.
However, there are many ways you can approach creating a new lifestyle that supports your recovery goals. The best way to do this is to take one step at a time instead of trying to do everything at once. Adopting positive habits as part of your new routine can significantly aid in establishing emotional well-being and stability.
Here are some strategies you can use to prioritize a sustainable recovery journey.
1. Use Recovery Resources
In order to maintain long-term recovery, you need to accept help. The best way to do this is to take advantage of recovery resources, whether they be in person or online.
It is always best to join either an inpatient or outpatient treatment program to kickstart your recovery journey. From there, you can join other programs to better equip you for normal life, as well as join support groups.
You can also find a variety of free online recovery resources to educate yourself on lifestyle changes you need to make, as well as relapse prevention tips.
2. Find a Support System
As we mentioned above, joining a support group is essential for long-term recovery and building a new lifestyle. The good news is that there are many support resources available, whether that be through support groups, sobriety communities, or mental health professionals.
If possible, it is also beneficial to build a support system within your own life through friends and family members. Remember, your support system will play a critical role in helping you to stay accountable, especially when you experience triggers and need life skills support.
3. Prioritize Physical Activity and Wellbeing
Addiction often takes a serious toll on your physical well-being, leaving you to pick up the pieces when you start recovery. Because of this, you need to focus on building your health back up and reestablishing healthy habits.
Some examples of this include:
- Exercising often in early recovery and beyond
- Eating nutritious meals in a healthy diet
- Getting regular check-ups for mental clarity
- Learning how to manage stress in daily life
4. Address Your Mental Health
In addition to prioritizing your physical well-being, you also need to focus on your mental health. You will most likely experience a variety of emotions when you start recovery, and you will need to find healthy ways of coping with them. This is especially true for those who started their addiction due to mental health issues, as addressing mental well-being will be an essential part of long-term recovery.
Many addiction recovery programs will have a mental health focus so you can better understand why your addiction started. You should also find a therapist who can help you navigate post-recovery emotions and hold you accountable with mindfulness activities, including meditation, yoga, walking, or journaling.
5. Establish a Routine for Maintaining Healthy Habits
Having a new routine and forming new habits is going to be the backbone of your recovery strategy and will play an essential role in helping you build a new lifestyle. Routines provide structure and dependability, which can help reduce unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Especially for days when you are struggling more with temptations and triggers, having a routine allows you to go through your day on autopilot. It can be helpful to establish a morning and nighttime routine and avoid bad habits so you can begin and end your day on a positive note. You should also have specific recovery routines, such as going to support groups, practicing mindfulness, and attending therapy sessions.
Keep in mind your routine may look very different depending on whether you are going to school, working, or attending a treatment program.
6. Use Relapse Preventative Measures
Relapsing, especially multiple relapses, is the biggest danger to those in addiction recovery and is, unfortunately, quite common. Because of this, you need to have relapse prevention measures in place to protect yourself.
You first need to understand the signs of relapsing, such as becoming negative, focusing on the past, or spending time with the wrong types of people. You should also have a plan in place so that you know what to do if you start to feel like relapsing, including recognizing and managing triggers.
Here are some relapse-preventive measures you may find helpful:
- Have a support person you can contact when you are feeling tempted.
- Have a strategy in place with your therapist for when you feel like relapsing.
- Have coping mechanisms to help you refocus your attention on something positive.
- Identify the triggers you can and cannot avoid.
7. Invest in Personal Growth and Development
Building better habits and a stronger sense of self can help individuals achieve long-term recovery success. This is because taking care of one’s own well-being provides stability and a sense of self.
That said, creating a sense of purpose and direction with a counselor, coach, or personal trainer can help individuals achieve long-term recovery success. For example:
- A mindfulness and self-reflection coach can improve emotional balance and reduce stress.
- Evidence-based counselors can offer support for healthy coping strategies, such as physical activity and stress management techniques, which can also contribute to lasting recovery.
- Personal trainers, nutritionists, and physical therapists can help with developing a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, which is foundational to successful recovery.
Achieving Long-Term Recovery Success: A Summary of Creating Healthy Habits
Achieving long-term success in recovery requires a combination of healthy habits, support groups, and professional support.
This means you’ll need:
- Emotional Support: Examples include healthy relationships with family and friends, peer groups covering emotional regulation techniques, and a personalized emotional intelligence index to help track where you’re at with emotional balance.
- Mental Health Support: This may include self-care routines, lifestyle modifications, and professional support for cognitive function that can support long-term recovery.
- Physical Support: This includes getting adequate sleep, proper hydration, balanced nutrition, and healthy habits around physical exercise.
Start Your Journey Toward Long-Term Recovery With The Lakes Treatment Center
Recovery requires dedication and can be extremely intimidating, especially since you will most likely need to rebuild your life from the ground up. But by taking just a few steps in the right direction with practical strategies, you can begin making headway towards long-term addiction recovery.
At The Lakes Treatment Center, our programs are designed to help you with this process, providing resources for both physical and emotional healing. We will help equip you with the resources and skills you need to achieve long-term recovery and a fulfilling life.
Do you want to join a treatment program to support your recovery journey? Contact us today at The Lakes Treatment Center to get started.
