How To Beat Substance Abuse For Good

By: Jackie Cortez - The Prevention Coalition

For many people with substance abuse disorders, the problem is less about finding

treatment, and more about sticking with it. According to research, it is very common

to relapse in the first 12 months of recovery; but there are some things you can do

to help you stay on track with your recovery. Here, Catalyst Counselling presents

some strategies to help you or your loved one make a successful recovery.

Seek Appropriate Support

When you are on the road to recovery, you’ll need the right kind of support. A good

support system can look different for different people, but according to Psych

Central, surrounding yourself with a group of trusted people can provide:

● positive peer pressure to make healthy choices in your healthy relationships,

● support from someone who understands and listens to your struggles, and

● help any time you go through a difficult period, like after a relapse.

Don’t limit yourself to one support group or type, either. You can attend more than

one 12-step meeting, have new sober friends, engage with a counsellor, and find

support in your family. If you feel like your addiction really hurt your familial

relationships, Peace Valley Recovery suggests that you can benefit from family

therapy as well.

Whatever your situation, there are support options for you. Let Very Well Mind

guide you towards finding the right support group to keep you on the path towards

sobriety.

Creative Ideas To Incorporate Into Treatment

Once you have support for your recovery journey, there are additional things you

can incorporate to help your progress. They include:

● Proper Self-Care

Self-care is simply the act of adding habits that address your own well-being.

It feels good, and it’s necessary for good mental health. Learn more about

self-care from Habits For Well Being.

● Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Choosing healthy habits is a great method of self-care. Start by adding fitness

to your daily routine and learn to eat a more balanced diet. Avoid trendy

diets. Instead, reduce sweets and add more healthy produce. Talk to your

doctor about what exercises would be best for you as well.

● Holistic Treatments

Consider adding healing strategies like acupuncture, herbal therapy, and

mediation that can work in combination with other recovery practices. Read

about these approaches in this article by the American Holistic Health

Association.

● Avoid Boredom

Boredom can be a temptation to relapse. Instead, fill your time pursuing new

interests and hobbies, such as hiking, knitting, or gardening. You can even

start a creative endeavour like painting or photography.

● Keep a Clean Home

Our mental health can be affected by our surroundings, including a cluttered,

dirty home. When our surroundings feel chaotic, we can begin to feel chaotic,

too, and the urge to return to our addiction may rise. Instead, use these hacks

from Cleaner Digs that will help you keep your home tidy with less effort.

● Going Abroad For Treatment

Another unique way to get help is by going abroad. Medical tourism, the practice of

travelling outside your country for health treatment, is a growing industry today.

According to The American Journal of Medicine, upwards of 1.4 million Americans

sought treatment abroad in 2017. It can have a lot of benefits including:

● lower treatment costs,

● privacy that comes from being in an entirely new location, and

● a change of scenery, which can help you progress in your recovery.

Decide if going abroad is the right choice for you.

● Co-Occurring Mental Health Issues

Mental health issues such as depression or anxiety can be overlooked in addiction

treatment. In these cases, just treating the addiction is not enough. A dual diagnosis

(mental health problem plus substance abuse disorder) may be required to get the

help you need. Whether the issue was a result of addiction or came before, resolving

it with a qualified therapist and a comprehensive rehab program is critical to your

recovery success.

● Reach Out to Help Others

Volunteering to help others is a great way to make progress on your treatment as

well. Whether you are volunteering in a general way or specifically offering up help

to fellow substance abusers, there are many mental health benefits to volunteer

work. According to The Balance, some of these benefits include reduced loneliness,

new friendships, emotional stability, and improved self-esteem.

If you still need more help, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

has a list of resources and information about treatment that can help. And Catalyst

Counselling can be a great resource for counselling to help you manage old trauma

and grow from it.

● Take Steps Towards Sobriety

Overcoming substance abuse is challenging, but there are many resources to help

along your journey. Start by taking the right steps in your day-to-day life and you’ll

be more likely to stay on track and reach your destination.