When we make the decision to seek treatment for our substance use, it doesn’t make any sense to become sober, only to relapse again. Achieving and maintaining sobriety is a lot of work, and it should be something that we are seeking for life. When we combine our initial treatment for substance use with our mental, physical, and emotional healing, then we are not just choosing sobriety, we are choosing recovery. Recovery is a choice that we make for life.
The First Choice
After using substances and all of the consequences that come with that choice, our very first and most important choice is to stop all substance use. Because this can be so difficult to do on our own, and can even be physically dangerous, it is important that we seek treatment for our substance use.
Part of that choice should be a residential treatment facility that has the medical staff and knowledge to supervise our detoxification process as well as our health needs following that. Safety is so important, and if we are making this choice to improve our lives, we want to take every precaution to make sure we come out of this process as healthy as possible.
In addition to safety, it is ideal to find a facility that uses different programs, such as 12-Step, SMART Recovery, and Refuge Recovery, so that we can choose what works best for us. Additionally, there should be various types of therapy, like ACT and CBT, equine therapy, art and music therapy, anger management, relapse prevention, and more. By choosing a facility that offers us choices, we know that we will get the personalized care that we deserve.
Looking Beyond Sobriety
Once we have achieved sobriety, our lives will feel very different. It takes time for our bodies to adjust, but the benefits of sobriety will be apparent early on and become more and more clear as we step into our new ways of life. However, just being sober is not enough. We want to stay sober, we want to be healthy and fulfilled. Instead of just being sober, we can actually step onto the recovery path, the path for life. That recovery envelops our entire being: physical, mental, and emotional. This complete healing process will help to prevent relapse and help us to truly become whole.
Finding Physical Health
To regain physical health, we need to eat nutritious foods. Not some of the time, but all of the time. Substance use can harm our bodies and leave us with deficiencies as well as damage to various organs and systems. So, replenishing our body with nutritious foods is something that is truly healing. Taking good care of our bodies also shows that we are invested in our well-being.
Exercise has multiple benefits in our recovery process. For one, it gets our body moving again, which helps to cleanse our body and improve our cardiovascular health. Additionally, exercising releases endorphins in our brain, which is kind of like a natural high, and has been shown to help reduce cravings. Finally, exercise gives us something constructive to do in that downtime where we might be tempted to relapse. In fact, it is ideal to have set classes, times, or workout buddies to help us to be accountable to ourselves in our exercise. When we engage others in our exercise habits, we are building our own support system for our physical health.
Finding Mental Health
Once we have stopped using our substances, there should be a surge in our mental health, because we will be better equipped to respond and react to our environment, amongst other things. We will still have to do work, though. We will need to learn about how to manage stress. We definitely need to implement and keep a daily regimen of self-care to help us stay strong and healthy mentally. As we put into practice all of the new skills and tools in our lives, we will be able to not only find mental health but also maintain it long-term.
Finding Emotional Health
The therapy we work through in treatment will help us reach toward a goal of emotional health. Depending on how much pain we are carrying from our past, we may choose to continue therapy as a part of our journey toward emotional health. We can learn how to communicate better to improve our relationships with others, and we can also learn to regulate our emotions better. By working through our pain and learning new skills, we will be well on our journey toward emotional health.
Choosing Life
Sobriety is a decision that we make today, but recovery is a decision that we make for life. When we commit to ourselves to recover from substance use, then we are choosing life. This decision is one we can re-commit to every day, even every hour of every day if needed. When we give ourselves the skills, support, and tools to recover, then we are giving ourselves the gift of life.
When you have made the decision to choose recovery for your life, you can call Rancho Milagro Recovery at (951) 526-4582. We are also committed to your life and your recovery and can give you the basic skills and tools to begin your recovery journey. We offer many choices for your treatment to personalize your journey. Now the decision is yours. Are you ready to choose recovery for life?