HEALTH + WELLNESS
the Journey to Recovery story by Danielle Williams, MS, CACII, LPC, HopeHealth
After a year marked by a global pandemic, social isolation, rising unemployment, and political and social turmoil, an overwhelming majority of Americans are looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. There has been a significant rise in substance misuse, overdoses, and mental health issues over the course of this past year. Hopefully, this trend does not continue into the new year and we start to see more and more people start their journey of recovery. Recovery from a substance use disorder happens through a series of positive changes accomplished over time. For people in recovery, 2021 brings an opportunity to continue building on these changes. I challenge you to wake up daily and ask yourself, “What can I do for my recovery today?”
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED: Be grateful. Each morning or night, take a minute to write down one thing you are grateful for. It can be a person, a feeling, a material possession, an opportunity, a place – anything. Keep a journal noting these items over the year and look back on it at the end of the year to see everything you have to be thankful for. Be mindful. Mindfulness meditation has been proven to increase chances of long-term sobriety for those in recovery from a substance use disorder. It provides tools necessary to take life one moment at a time. When you live life in the moment, you will experience less stress and anxiety by reducing worry and negative thought processes. Just 10-15 minutes of mindfulness meditation can increase your chances of a successful recovery from substance misuse.
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May 2021
Schedule your day. Make a list of things that need to be done, and then schedule them. The more structure you have to your day, the less likely you are to run into stress by forgetting to do things or running out of time. Stress is one of the most significant relapse triggers, so anything that keeps stress at bay is helpful in recovery. Some things that can be added to your schedule include wake-up and sleep times, meals, engaging in hobbies, exercise, meditation, and recovery activities such as attending recovery meetings.
