Self Care for a Sustainable Recovery
Addiction is inherently self-destructive. The key to sustainable recovery comes in learning to value yourself enough to practice good self-care.
Self-care is often portrayed as indulgence. The bubble bath, the massage, the Yoga retreat.
And while these things might be lovely, and a great way to relax, self-care is about so much more. Here are some powerful ways to care for your wellbeing in recovery.
Face those painful emotions
Processing your emotions in a safe, healthy way is vital. Your addiction developed as a way to escape your pain, but those feelings need to be dealt with, in whatever ways you need.
Take your meds
Make sure you take any medication prescribed to you. Especially if the meds are for any mental health issues. Underlying mental health issues are a big factor in addiction.
Sleep
Sleep is the body's best healing tool. Mental and physical health will be improved through good sleep. Prioritise good sleep and rest.
Community
This doesn't need to be 'meetings', but finding a community that can support your new sober life is essential. I never did 'meetings', but I found a community around yoga, wellbeing, coaching and business that supported me.
Forgive and let go
You will gain a lot from working on forgiving and releasing people and hurt from your past. Including and especially the harm you have caused to yourself. Owning your role in your life and releasing resentment is like taking a lead weight off your back. This doesn’t mean condoning or allowing their bad behaviour, but about releasing yourself from it. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. You might need professional support to help with this.
Self observation
Get to know yourself. Recognise your triggers. Understand your patterns. Learn to listen to your body and recognise what it needs, and act on it
Hydration and nutrition
All those years of abuse of your body take their toll. Make sure you give it good food and plenty of water to allow it to repair and cleanse itself.
Celebrate the small wins
I'm going to hazard a guess that you've spent years beating yourself up for every small mistake you've ever made, and a lot that you imagined you'd made too! Let's reverse that, and start celebrating the wins. The big, small and TINY!
Work with a coach
It’s hard to do this alone, but you don’t need to. A recovery coach can support you on your recovery journey, offering support, encouragement, empathy, accountability and much more.
Remember it’s a journey
Recovery from addiction isn’t easy. There will be hard days. There will be days when you can’t imagine why you ever got into recovery. There will be days when you can’t imagine who you were when you weren’t.
Those days are entirely normal. Ask for help on the days when you struggle. You’re never alone in this. There are lots of us out there, doing #recovery in many different wants
I’ve shared 10 self care tips to help in recovery. What else would you add?
To summarise, my 10 tips for self care in recovery…
Face those painful emotions
Take your meds
Prioritise sleep
Find your community
Forgive and let go
Self observation
Hydration and nutrition
Celebrate the small wins
Work with a coach
Remember it’s a journey
What do you do for self care?