Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Addiction Recovery
Substance use disorder, more commonly referred to as addiction, comes with a lot of unhealthy habits one has to unlearn. When you have support from a team like the staff at Central Kentucky Addiction Treatment, you will begin a therapeutic regimen that replaces those unhealthy or maladaptive habits with new, healthier choices.
Developing healthy lifestyle habits can ease those in recovery from substance use disorder as they transition to their new normal. If you or a loved one are recovering from addiction, make a plan and work with your support systems to develop new lifestyle habits that can help make recovery easier.
1. Identify Triggers and Ways to Address Them
Different types of addiction treatment can help you identify certain triggers that could cause you distress and undo the work of recovery. Therapy should help you identify these triggers and work with you to develop a plan for what to do when you encounter them. Being aware of what triggers you, how to avoid it, and what to do when you can’t avoid the triggering event is part of a healthy lifestyle habit you can continually rely upon.
2. Create a Routine
Once upon a time, you had a routine that included your substance use. Now, you need to create new routines. You may need to change what you do for fun, how you spend your evenings, who you spend your time with, and other habits. One thing to include in your new routine is attending at least one support meeting every week.
3. Attend Support Meetings
The benefits of peer support meetings are abundant. They provide people in treatment or recovery with people who have faced the same struggles they’re dealing with, as well as tips for staying away from triggering events and people and sharing knowledge about what has worked for them. Meetings are free and in plenty, so it’s easy to find some nearby.
4. Eat Regularly with a Healthy, Balanced Diet
Disordered substance use can deteriorate the mind and body. Many persons who have struggled with substance use pursue their problem use at the expense of their health, which can often impact eating habits and appetite, so it’s important to relearn healthy eating habits. Some things to consider include:
- Drinking enough water
- Incorporating all the food groups into the diet
- Limiting sugar intake
- Eating enough food to sustain oneself
5. Exercise Your Body and Brain
Incorporating regular opportunities for growth can help you feel calmer, work through problems, clear your head, and relax. Adding exercise into your routine restores health and rebuilds strength. Exercise also releases dopamine and serotonin, which can help with depression.
A hobby can give those in recovery something to focus on, which can lead to feelings of joy and excitement, while simultaneously improving your emotional well-being. You can develop a skill you’re already interested in, a hobby you had before that won’t trigger you, or spend time on a new hobby.
6. Develop Relationships with People
Disordered substance use, and trying to hide that harmful use, often places folks in situations where they distance or sever ties with friends and family members. While avoiding triggering situations, during addiction recovery, reconnecting and developing old and new relationships can provide necessary encouragement and support.
Reach Out to Our Team
Recovering from substance use disorder or addiction shouldn’t be done alone.
Contact Central Kentucky Addiction Treatment in Danville, KY, to jumpstart the recovery process.
Our team has the tools, the practice, and the experience to deal with many disorders, including alcoholism, drug addiction, sex addiction, and gaming addiction.
Start on the road to recovery. We proudly serve the area surrounding Danville, KY, including Bardstown, Berea, Campbellsville, Corbin, Harrisburg, Irving, Lancaster, Lebanon, Liberty, London, Monticello, Nicholasville, Richmond, Somerset, and Stanford, KY.
