The evidence shows that every day, people choose to recover from addiction on their own. One way or another, they learn and deploy a set of skills that help them get through the strong cravings and urges of the difficult early stages of recovery. Some of the most helpful strategies for dealing with cravings are summarized in the acronym DEADS. Establish a healthy routine that prioritizes self-care and healthy habits.

• However, if you stay committed to your sobriety, prioritize self-care, and utilize your support network, long-term recovery is possible.
• The best way to handle a relapse is to take quick action to seek help, whether it’s intensifying support from family, friends, and peers or entering a treatment program.
• Jobs with a lot of exposure to alcohol and stress, notably in the service industry, are unlikely to meet the criteria.
• Accessing help through therapists, 12-step groups, online recovery forums, and support groups can effectively combat relapse.

Build a support system

Engaging in regular physical activity helps clear the mind, making it easier to learn new skills and make better decisions. The benefits of exercise in addiction recovery extend far beyond physical health, offering young adults a solid foundation for personal and professional growth. Making exercise a habit can transform recovery into a powerful platform for lifelong resilience and success. Recovering from addiction is a journey, and exercise can be a vital part of your path to wellness. Whether you’re working with drug and alcohol treatment centers in West Virginia or managing recovery at home, integrating physical activity can transform your healing process.

Need help getting addiction treatment?

Still, some people in the addiction-treatment field reserve recovery to mean only the process of achieving remission and believe it is a lifelong enterprise of avoiding relapse. Recovery suggests a state in rebuilding your life after addiction which the addiction is overcome; clinical experience and research studies provide ample evidence. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) avoids the terms addiction and recovery.

• Halfway houses are sober living facilities tailored to meet the needs of individuals with previous drug abuse issues who also have criminal backgrounds.
• Once you identify any toxic behaviors in people, aim to eliminate them from your life immediately as your recovery to restart a new life is most important.
• These people could be guilt trippers, or jealous people and might try to control your life again.
• The first step in getting help for these addictions should be to see a doctor who is qualified and experienced in providing medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder.

Self-love improves mental health

• Additionally, you should avoid performing dangerous activities in an attempt to recreate the rush of adrenaline that comes from using drugs.
• For many people who attend 12-step recovery programs, the answer to this question would likely be that a successful recovery does not end.
• You can take your life up to one notch by taking up a walk to the gym – swimming or exercising.
• Because addiction is also known to disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms, consistent, quality sleep is crucial to maintaining recovery.
• Managing cravings and triggers is a crucial aspect of long-term recovery.
• Many individuals quitting substance abuse will need to go through detox as their bodies work on rebalancing their natural chemicals.

A career is a form of identity and the field of work which a person performs will say a great deal about that person. Career counselors work with clients to narrow down what kind of job they want. Jobs with a lot of exposure to alcohol and stress, notably in the service industry, are unlikely to meet the criteria.

How to Rebuild Your Life: Strategies for Long-Term Recovery

Recovery is not linear, and individuals may inevitably face challenges and setbacks. A structured routine can be a valuable tool in navigating these obstacles and maintaining resilience. However, it should not be rigid, as individuals may occasionally need to reassess and modify. For instance, if an individual is experiencing increased stress or anxiety, they may need to adjust their daily activities to prioritize self-care activities like meditation or exercise. If one activity is not working, they may need to replace it with another that is more effective in reducing stress and providing positivity.

This is a healthy conversation for you and for them, and will put everything out on the table. Either way, you will find that following spiritual principles, such as being helpful, charitable, grateful, and mindful, will help you to stay away from drugs and to follow your dreams in life. If you do choose to go to a 12-step program, spiritual principles are the foundations of these programs, without holding members to the specific practices of any particular religion. Other concerning behavior may include gambling, smoking, drinking, overeating, and reckless sexual behavior. One of the last things I could recommend in this area is to be willing to seek out therapy to assist in helping you to avoid using when the urges and cravings are at their strongest.

• I’ve studied social media’s impact on the developing brain, so I’m all for warning labels.
• Patterns and routines will help those in treatment prioritize success by encouraging healthy coping mechanisms.
• It may be a part of your life that you’ve left behind, but it still happened.
• In 2018, I experienced one of the darkest days of my life when I lost my 15-year-old daughter to the tragedy of suicide.

How the brain seeks rewards

Still, it’s important to recognize that the recovery change process itself is very difficult. The journey to remission can be bumpy, and it can take a long time. It’s maintaining change that’s hard—creating new and sustained ways of thinking and behaving.

From Darkness to Light: A Story of Redemption and Sobriety