As we approach the end of Recovery Month and celebrate International Recovery Day on September 30th, we decided to focus our second blog this month around the theme of recovery. Recovery month is where we celebrate the gains made by all those in recovery from addiction. We always welcome any improvements made by those who are managing health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease and cancer – so why not addiction too? The observance of Recovery Month reinforces the positive message that people can, and do, recover from a substance use disorder. In this blog, we are going to focus on some useful tools to help you with your recovery journey. The first thing to remember is that recovery is a process. It requires time, support from friends and family, patience, motivation, and a lot of commitment. It’s a tough road to recovery but a positive one and one that will undoubtedly change your life for the better. Sometimes, recovery may seem impossible, but it’s not! No matter what path you are on, or how far you are down, recovery is possible and within your reach. The following are a list of tools we have compiled which may be useful for you throughout your recovery journey.

COPING SKILLS

The coping skills that you learn in your treatment can be pivotal during your recovery journey. It can help you overcome any stressful situations, bad days, anxiety or even pressure from others. Your coping skills will be completely unique to you, different things work for different people, but they are essentially healthy ways to manage and cope with the situation you are facing. It may be something as simple as deep breathing, meditation or talking to a particular person, but no matter what it is it’s a vital tool to help you on your recovery journey.

HEALTHY HOBBIES

Having a healthy hobby is a very effective tool to have on your recovery journey. They can act as an outlet for you away from the negative thoughts and feelings or cravings and protect you from a relapse. Taking up a hobby that you enjoy doing or something you are passionate about can give you an extra purpose in life. Whether it’s something brand new that you’ve always wanted to try or maybe igniting the love of some hobby you enjoyed when you were younger. These healthy hobbies can help you explore new interests, meet new friends and help you focus on things other than your addiction to make your recovery journey that little bit smoother.

EXERCISE

Believe it or not, physical exercise is an excellent tool to help with your recovery journey. You don’t need to run a marathon, even by exercising in moderation you will begin to feel emotionally, mentally, and physically better enhancing your chances of maintaining your recovery. Taking walks with friends, going to the gym a few times a week, or taking up some fun sports are all excellent ways to help you on your journey.

HEALTHY DIET

We spoke about exercise, now it’s time to speak about your diet. It should be no major surprise that eating a balanced, nutritious diet is a key ingredient to addiction recovery and help you feel physically and mentally healthier. A balanced diet will help you regain nourishment lost during addiction and help you with your day-to-day life and recovery journey.

DOWNTIME

Okay, I know you might think we are contradicting ourselves with this one, after saying we recommend exercise and finding new healthy hobbies but finding some relaxing time just for yourself is important too. It’s important not to become overwhelmed after treatment with taking on too much too quick. Just make sure you take a moment to relax and breathe to calm yourself down. Just remember, some downtime is always okay too.

SUPPORT

During your recovery journey it’s important to surround yourself with the right people, who will support your recovery and encourage you to stay clean with a substance-free lifestyle. A good support network of friends can be essential to help you get through the difficult days maintain your recovery journey. These people should understand when you say “no” or are having a bad day and even help you get passed these moments of weakness. Recovery is never a journey anyone should face alone. Here at Tabor Group, we offer a Continuing Care Programme for clients after their treatment, and this can be an excellent way of forming a sober support network.

ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance is a crucial tool to help with your recovery journey. You need to accept your previous choices and now move forward from them. You don’t have control over your past, but you have the ability to change and shape your present and your future for the better.

GOALS

Finally, a tool to help you with your recovery journey is setting yourself goals. From the very beginning of your journey, you should set realistic and achievable goals. Can be something related to your friends, family, career, or education, but anything that means something to you. Could be something as simple as staying sober for X number of years or attending meetings every week. These goals can help guide you through your recovery journey and give you something to strive towards and work towards while always looking forward and never turning back to alcohol or drugs.

TABOR GROUP

Tabor Group provides residential & community-based addiction treatment programmes to men and woman over 18 years of age, who are struggling with addiction to alcohol, drugs, and gambling. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, get help today. We can help you recover in a healthy, friendly environment and beat your addiction. Do not hesitate to contact one of our counsellors today for information by calling +353 (21) 488 7710 for Cork or +353 (1) 639 2962 for Dublin, or alternatively you can email us at info@taborgroup.ie. We can help you.