The Main Aspects Of Sustainable Sobriety Recovery
Health is multifaceted, but it boils down to exercise, eating healthy and developing positive behaviors and emotional well-being.
Mental and Emotional Health
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 7. 9 million adults have a co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder. When mental health and SUD go unaddressed, it can become more complex and difficult (but not impossible) to treat. Early intervention, before behavioral health conditions get out of hand, is one of the best ways to improve a person’s overall health. During a guest’s time in treatment, through individual and group therapy, they will develop skills to maintain mental and emotional health. These skills could include exploring daily meditation, practicing reflection throughout the day, writing gratitude lists and even praying for others, whether that’s family, friends or others in recovery.
Physical Health
During the time that a guest used substances, they most likely found themselves neglecting their physical health. Now that they are going through treatment to find recovery, they may find it easier, exciting and rewarding to work on themselves. “Being a fairly high-strung individual by nature, physical exercise is massively important to me”. “I’m able to get out the pent up energy accumulated throughout my day – it’s a release. We all are aware there are real life physical manifestations of stress, worry, anxiety, depression etc. , and exercise is my way of ‘clearing my slate’ so to speak. ”
We encourage our guests to find something fun that they enjoy doing and make it their own. For example, join an intramural league, go surfing, hit the driving range or go mountain biking. Whatever it is that they used to love doing or always wanted to try, now is their chance to get out and do it. They have a new lease on life, so they should live actively.
The connection between sobriety and your environment
Actively living does not mean actively seeking out past environments. Environmental factors can play a role in SUD, a guest’s recovery and their sobriety. Much like individuals who suffer from diabetes, a person affected by SUD has to change their life and behaviors to have a sustainable sobriety. Instead of actively seeking out old friends, who may encourage disruptive behavior, we encourage an integrated intensive outpatient program in conjunction with a sober living home. These two programs can give our guests the treatment they need and a support system that will give them positive relationships. Five benefits of staying in a SLH during and after treatment include:
Community: It takes a village to stay sober. Making friends within the sober community during and after treatment is important. Those early bonds can grow stronger as guests begin to live in a SLH. Having a community will allow a guest the opportunity to be exposed to real life situations with an added safety net like drug testing and accountability. Accountability: A lot of guests believe they don’t need a care team, support system or peers to continuously look over their shoulder during recovery; however, accountability is a huge benefit because guests can rely on their peers for advice and their case managers for experience.
Understanding: Living in a SLH allows guests to surround themselves with people that are going through the same things they are and trying to stay sober while doing it. Life Skills: Getting sober does not magically fix problems. During recovery, a guest will be around others who will be able to teach them life skills.
Family: Guests are not the only ones affected by their SUD. Family and friends can be emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted, too. Knowing that their loved one is in an environment that fosters life skills and community all while holding them to a certain level of accountability lets families feel better about their loved one’s transition back into the “real world”.
Finding a purpose that encourages sobriety
Sobriety does not, in itself, provide you with purpose. It does enable you to reignite old passions, discover new ones and eliminate the fear centered around change. Finding a sense of passion can be rewarding, productive and a fun way to keep busy. During this this time, you may find, and enjoy, people beginning to count on you. By being there for them, you may find your purpose. Hobbies and passions lend themselves greatly to consistency as well, which will help you unconsciously develop a routine, a schedule, and in doing so, accountability – all key pillars to a happy and sober life.
Developing community support
The true gift of a guest getting and staying sober is admitting they have a problem and are powerless over mind-altering substances. It will immediately align them with others that have the same problem. “I have watched recovery erase hard lines of hatred and bigotry”. “People who wouldn’t ever be in the same room together, now find themselves standing shoulder to shoulder, working together in effort to stay sober. When I came into treatment and started going to meetings, I was alone, scared and desperately wanted to find a different way. Getting sober has given me more people than I can count that will be there for me in my time of need, but being sober has also given me the ability to be there for others. ”
A guest will build TONS of foundation stabilizing relationships within their respective community, and that provides them with people to lean on for support, advice, guidance, love and empathy when it’s needed, and now they have the ability to offer the same to others who need it.
