Addiction Recovery Is a Lifelong Process

Substance abuse disorders (SUDs) are prevalent in society. We can easily rely on substances to get through stressful experiences, cope with our emotions, and avoid dealing with deep-seated issues. However, SUDs exact a heavy toll on our lives. This toll can include damaged relationships, loss of income, and budding mental health issues. Although recovering from SUDs is not easy, those who struggle with addiction will eventually recover if they participate fully in treatment. Moreover, our chances increase when we continue to receive treatment throughout the years. When there is ongoing treatment, there can be lifelong recovery. 

That’s why many treatment centers offer not just inpatient treatment but also ongoing partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). The best treatment facilities offer a comprehensive discharge plan and continued support. This can include a counselor to provide ongoing support, a 12-Step mentor, and an alumni network to engage with. After all, recovery doesn’t end when we leave the facility; it extends into the rest of our lives. This is why ongoing support is so important.

The Process of Addiction Recovery

Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process. Our journey is not done when we leave treatment. We must be mindful of what is required to continue sobriety successfully. During this time of abstinence, our bodies are in repair mode, cleaning out anything that does not belong there. We must be healthy on all levels – in body, mind, and spirit. We must avoid unhealthy behaviors and commit to good nutrition, exercise, and adequate rest and rejuvenation. We hold the reigns to a healthy lifestyle in all senses.

Instead of thinking that a treatment center or some regimen will heal us permanently, we will be more successful if we take charge of ensuring our success. It is our habits and self-care that will ultimately ensure success. We have to be diligent not just for a while but for the long haul. The good news is that we can overcome our addiction when we accept that recovery will always be a part of our life moving forward.

Relationship Changes During Recovery

There will be so many essential pieces of our recovery journey. One of the most important aspects of our life will be our social support. As we practice abstinence and begin to grow, there will be those who take steps away from us. These usually are old friends who do not believe in what we are doing or think we are not as fun anymore.

This is not a good feeling, but when people pull away from us because we’ve changed, it may be the best thing they can do for us. If they do not support our new lifestyle, they will not be a good influence on us. We need to seek connections with people who believe in us and believe that we can recover. When the friends and family who support us entirely are involved in our journey, we feel more motivated to stay the course.

With these support people, we can engage in positive conversations and activities that will lift us instead of bringing us down. After all, addiction makes us feel broken. We need to find those who can help us repair the broken pieces. These people who reinforce our wholeness are worth holding on to and will always be necessary for our journey.

Life Stressors That Can Interfere With Addiction Recovery

There are many challenges we will face during our addiction recovery. One of the main culprits can be stress. The unfortunate thing about stress is that it can be found everywhere. We can feel stress when we are in our homes, work, school, or even in our beds at the end of the day.

Stress is unavoidable. Some stressors are good for us, and some are bad for us. Events like an upcoming special occasion, a job promotion, or the birth of a child can create positive stress. This type of stress is usually relatively short-lived. Other stressors like losing a job, divorce, finances, or the death of a loved one can cause negative stress that lasts well beyond the event.

When negative stressors arise, there is a high risk of relapse if we don’t know how to manage them. Fortunately, we can turn to the positive people and coping skills we have adopted since entering treatment. We need to seek additional support during these times. We must make time to feel our feelings, engage in healthy coping skills learned in treatment, and give ourselves extra self-care. We must be extra vigilant to ensure that life’s stressors do not interfere with our addiction recovery.

Lifelong Recovery Provides Lifelong Joy

When we have discovered the opportunities and restoration that recovery can provide, we can begin to focus on pursuing our dreams. We can begin to realize our most cherished values and goals and invest our time in them. When we are fully awake and learning to be present, we can fulfill a greater purpose. We may discover new skills, talents, and passions. Yet, life is only just beginning.

Our new happiness and joy do not have to be transient. We can continue to feel grateful for our lives and our sobriety forever. We can continue to receive support on our lifelong journey of sobriety. This will help us to remain joyful and faithful to our intentions. One of the biggest revelations of our recovery can be the peace we have found. Some will ask us how we did do it. This is our opportunity to be a light to them and share our journey.