Addiction affects the mind and body, and when you choose to stop using a substance, you take a step toward healthier living. Practicing other healthy habits in addition to developing your addiction recovery habits can improve your chance of achieving a substance-free life. Consider these positive habits for someone recovering from substance use disorder.
1. Become Mindful of Your Thoughts and Emotions
Mindfulness exercises like meditation can help you manage your recovery. However, did you know that practicing mindfulness on its own could have positive effects? As part of addiction therapy, you and your counselor may explore your thoughts and feelings about a substance. In mindfulness, you also look at your emotions and ways of thinking. Try acknowledging how your brain processes recovery by looking at the ways you think and feel about addiction.
2. Exercise and Eat a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet and exercise serve as a solid foundation for the rest of your health. Getting good nutrition and physical activity:
- Lowers stress levels
- Improves sleep
- Provides important nutrients
- Enhances healing
- Increases the feel-good chemicals in your brain without substances
These benefits improve your overall well-being and help you stay on the path to recovery.
3. Connect With Others
Addiction can isolate you from the people you care about. You may find yourself needing to repair old relationships or build new ones to have a fulfilling social circle that supports your recovery. Now that you have a recovery plan in place, you can reach out to others again. If you need to start from the beginning, consider joining a support group to find people with similar experiences. Your addiction therapist may also have the training to help you reconnect in family therapy.
4. Find a Fulfilling Hobby
Did you know that boredom contributes to addiction for some patients? A hobby you enjoy can keep your mind occupied and improve your emotional well-being. Consider looking for classes or activities in your area. You can also use the internet to learn new skills and hobbies. Think about your interests and how you can enjoy them even more. Popular hobbies for people in recovery include:
- Yoga
- Hiking
- Art/Crafts
- Book Club
Patients in recovery have more ways to spend time than ever before.
5. Practice Kindness to Yourself
During recovery, it can get difficult to stay on your path. Challenges will come up that make it tempting to use again or perform another unhealthy behavior. When this happens, remember to practice compassion toward yourself. Treating yourself with kindness will help you get back to healthy habits and ask for help when you need it. If a relapse happens, we encourage you to get in touch with your treatment clinic to build a new recovery strategy.
Let Health Care Resource Centers Help You With Addiction Recovery
If you have opioid use disorder, a supportive team of addiction professionals can help you achieve your recovery goals. We help patients in every stage of recovery reclaim their lives. Please contact our team online to schedule an intake at one of our clinics in New England.
