When I arrived at the gym on the other morning for my daily workout, I noticed something different: I was forced to park further from the entrance. New faces. No available treadmills. Equipment out of place. Overcrowding near the free weight rack. Yes, it was January 1st. It would have been easy to become frustrated and think, “I was doing this before the New Year, this is my gym and these new people shouldn’t be here!” But, you know what? Whether they had been there December 31st, whether they had ever set foot in a gym, whether they knew how to use the equipment – every single person who was in that gym was making an effort to get healthy. Every single person was making a change for a fresh start. And even if that means full treadmills and the 20-lb dumbbells out of place, lives are changing. As cliche as it may sound – a new year truly is a fresh start. Nothing suggests a new start more than a new year. The resolution to get healthy isn’t uncommon – and that includes the resolution to get healthy from a drug or alcohol addiction. However, simply making a resolution is only a small part of the process. Starting fresh in the new year isn’t just about January. It’s staying fresh in February. Saying committed in March, April, May… and so on. By December 31st – will you still be upholding your resolution to recover from addiction? If getting sober in the new year is your resolution – or your resolution is to help a friend or family member take the steps to get into a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program, there are five actions – broken into simplified and realistic resolutions – you can take to aid in the success of the road to recovery.
5 Actions To Take To Aid In Your Addiction Recovery:
- Resolve to talk to your loved ones or friends about your addiction. Are you truly ready to make a change? Don’t hold it in. Vocalizing your goals with those who care about you will help to hold you accountable and in turn, help prevent you from reverting back to old behaviors and patterns. Your friends and family will want you to succeed, and will help you in building a network of support. Having a support system is crucial in addiction recovery – and the best way to build one is to break down the walls.
- Resolve to find the right treatment program. One of the most important keys to recovering from addiction is working with an addiction treatment program to assess your situation, and to create a treatment and recovery plan that is specific to your needs. There are drug rehab facilities across the country that advertise every sort of program possible. Unfortunately, there are some treatment centers that make false claims, or fall short on their offerings. Choosing the right drug rehab facility can be a challenge. We’ve compiled a list of questions you need to consider before choosing the right addiction treatment program for yourself of a loved one. Research facilities online, and also speak to treatment specialists over the phone. Even though you may feel more comfortable asking questions behind a computer screen, having a one-on-one conversation with an addiction treatment specialist will help you find a program that is the right fit for your needs and recovering from the disease.
- Resolve to get healthy. The road to recovery is in large part about getting sober, and getting the substances out of your system. But it doesn’t stop their. Achieving sobriety and recovery involves changing your lifestyle. Take care of your body, your mind, and your spirit by doing things such as eating well, exercising regularly, journaling, meditating or praying.
- Resolve to be honest. When is the last time you were 100% truthful with your spouse, your kids, your parents or your friends? Have you been honest with yourself? Addiction is a disease that thrives on lies, manipulation and deception. However, those behaviors don’t define you. Part of your recovery from addiction will focus on being honest – which may mean facing things that are difficult or painful. Being honest, however, will lay a foundation for a stronger journey.
- Resolve to love yourself. In active addiction, you have likely put your needs ahead of others; prioritizing drinking over attending family events, thinking about how, when, and where you were going to buy pills – rather than spending quality time with loved ones. But just because you were putting yourself first – doesn’t mean you have been loving yourself. Self-love comes from an appreciation for you, and that appreciation stems from actions that support your well-being – physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Learning to love yourself will fuel your “want to” – and will aid in building a lifelong recovery.
Day-By-Day.
Recovery isn’t a one time deal – it’s a day by day process, and sometimes an hour by hour or minute by minute process. Added up, addiction recovery becomes a lifelong process. Understand that resolving to get sober and get onto the road to recovery is dynamic – it keeps moving forward. If you’re ready to move forward in this new year, start by making these small attainable resolutions. We’re here to give you a hand.
