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The Importance of Self-Care in Recovery
November 09, 2022by Jaclyn
Why Is Self-Care So Important in Recovery?
Self-care is not about indulgence or giving yourself treats. The World Health Organization defines self-care as “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.”
A person’s socioeconomic, lifestyle, and environmental factors will define what they consider self-care, which is different for each person. It is the practice of taking care of yourself as you would another person if you were in charge of their physical and mental health. Self-care habits keep you healthy, allow you to do your job well, help you maintain good relationships with others, and help you to meet your daily goals, relax, unwind, reduce anxiety, and live a happier and healthier life.
When you are in recovery, self-care is so much more than getting a pedicure or indulging in your favorite sweets after a long day. It is about filling your cup and ensuring you are doing all you can for yourself to ensure you’re not constantly in survival mode, a state that can trigger a relapse.
Self-care in recovery is a way to give yourself a healthier and happier way of life, helping you deal with daily stress in healthy ways to avoid relapse. You will need to establish your priorities, consider what you believe is important, and think about what you want your future to look like.
When you practice self-care, you:
Regularly check in with yourself
Put your own needs first
Live with purpose
Set and achieve short- and long-term goals
Take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually
Self-care in recovery is so important because you must address your innermost needs, healing the underlying issues that caused you to turn to substance abuse in the first place. You will take control back over your life and your well-being as you build healthy habits and work toward living the life you want as a sober individual.
Ways to Maintain Self-Care Following a Treatment Program
After completing your drug and alcohol treatment program, you will have plenty of opportunities to practice and maintain self-care. Some of the ways to create self-care routines that will stick include:
Figuring out which activities will bring you joy and help you feel relaxed, safe, and well-balanced
Sticking with it. The only way to develop a habit is to continue working on it, so go to the gym, write in your journal, or go on your daily meditation walk even when you do not feel like it
Joining classes, groups, or workshops with other people who will lend support, build your sober community,
Check in with yourself often and make sure what you are doing is making you feel good and is in keeping with your recovery goals. An activity will not help you stay in recovery if it is adding stress to your life or putting you in danger of relapsing
Benefits of Practicing Self Care
Some of the benefits of practicing self-care include:
It is free – Self-care does not need to cost money. You can turn ordinary moments into meaningful ones by actions like practicing mindfulness while eating, showering, or going for a walk, you can listen to your favorite songs on your daily commute, or you can turn a daily chore like doing the dishes into a sense of accomplishment
You will understand yourself better – The more truthful you are with yourself, the better able you will be to dig deep and heal the underlying issues behind your addiction
You will live longer – Doing activities that help you find a purpose in life has been linked to longer and healthier lives, as has spending time outside, exercising regularly, and sleeping well. Self-care promotes wellness in all areas of life and will prevent you from having to deal with serious health issues later on in life
You will be better able to work toward your goals – without the constant discomfort, fatigue, low self-esteem, and other issues that arise when you aren’t taking care of yourself, you will have more mental clarity to focus on what you want out of life
You will be better equipped to avoid relapsing – By taking care of yourself, you will learn to identify times when your physical or mental health is off, and you will be able to take steps to get back on track without turning back to drinking or drug abuse, and through emotional self-care, you will be able to cope with stress and difficult situations in a productive way, remaining committed to your sobriety.
Addiction Treatment Programs That Promote Self Care
At WhiteSands, we offer customized addiction treatment programs with therapies, treatments, and programs that promote self-care like:
Medical detox and medication-assisted treatment plans with long-term medication management for those who need it
Social support including group and family therapy, educational programs, and connections to peer support groups
Emotional care with one-on-one counseling and therapy programs
Mental health care with tailored dual diagnosis treatment plans that include therapy, medications, and holistic treatments for a holistic approach to healing the body and mind together
Behavioral health treatments
Life skills programs provided by case management professionals to set you up for success
In our luxury inpatient treatment center we have amenities that include a pool, a full-sized boxing gym with trainers, holistic spa treatments, nutritional programs, a gym, a lounge with games and movies, and more, helping you get to know yourself better as you rest and recuperate your body, mind, and spirit. We also offer outpatient programs including a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program, along with a long-term connection to our sober community and 12-step fellowships once you complete your rehab.
Please contact WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today to learn more about our full continuum of comprehensive addiction treatment, our luxury rehab center’s amenities, and how we can help you overcome your addiction as you learn the relapse prevention tools and self-care skills that will help you stay sober long-term. You will never be alone in your recovery with WhiteSands.
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
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