Addiction Recovery: Always Make Time for Your Program

addiction recovery

Most people in addiction recovery would agree that the first years are the most challenging. If you are in early recovery, then you have probably dealt with some tricky situations already. Hopefully, you were equipped with tools to cope with whatever obstacles you faced.

Addiction recovery often begins with detox and a residential or an intensive outpatient program. Such settings position the newly sober for success by providing individuals with a stable support network. In treatment, people learn the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and always work to put recovery first.

Many would argue that the real tests of one’s ability to stay clean and sober begin after treatment. When you no longer have the close supervision of guidance counselors and clinicians, it’s up to you to be accountable to your program.

After rehab, the first course of action should always be finding a homegroup and a sponsor. Diving right into steps is essential to achieving the goals you set for yourself while in treatment. Those who put off getting to meetings and establishing a support network after treatment place their progress in jeopardy.

Always Make Time for Your Addiction Recovery

Completing an addiction treatment program is a significant accomplishment. Committing oneself to stay clean and sober, no matter what, is a considerable feat. Still, it’s common for men and women to leave treatment and think they can take a break from doing the work. It’s vital that you do not find yourself in such a mindset because there are no vacations from recovery.

Addiction is a disease that never rests; it is always attempting to reassert control over your life. Naturally, you do not want to find yourself back where you were before treatment. If that is indeed the case, then you will always make time for your recovery.

Once back in the real world, it would help if you remembered that the safety net you had while in treatment is no longer under you. With that in mind, you must rely on a mutual support group like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous to protect your program.

Time is of the essence in the first days following discharge. You worked hard in treatment, and you must keep it up, or old behaviors and old ways of thinking will return. One has to get in the practice of attending meetings every day of the week; 90 meetings in 90 days is an excellent commitment after treatment.

Once you are in the habit of making 12 Step recovery the primary focus of each day, everything else will fall into place. You may have desires to dive back into school or your career immediately after treatment, which is OK. Provided, however, that you always make addiction recovery your number one priority. You put sobriety first to make it last; without it, you will inevitably encounter problems at work or school and risk losing your progress.

Being Ready for Anything is Essential

Treatment centers teach individuals how to cope with stress and how to spot risky situations. Surely, you learned about the common pitfalls that people face in early recovery. People, places, and things from your past should be avoided to vigilance.

Finding long-term recovery means adopting a new way of living that includes being responsible and accountable to your program and others in your support network. Life is unpredictable, which is why having trusted peers is so crucial. You never know when you’ll have to reach out for help.

A failure to prioritize attending meetings and fostering a deep-bench of support after treatment could spell disaster should you encounter an obstacle. If you don’t make time for your recovery, then you can rest assured that your disease will find time for you. Not making recovery a priority is like playing with fire, and you have no way of knowing how bad the burn will be should you relapse.

It’s easier to see the importance of finding time for your addiction recovery if you always remember life before treatment. Don’t lose sight of the depths of despair that addiction brought you to or where you would like to see yourself in the future.

You made the courageous decision to seek assistance for an alcohol or substance use disorder. Now, you have the power to build a healthy life of recovery upon the foundation laid in treatment. You did not get sober alone, so you can’t expect to maintain your sobriety without continued effort and support.

Addiction Recovery for Adult Males

At PACE Recovery Center, we help men break the cycle of addiction and adopt new principles and traditions. Our clients learn what needs to be done following discharge to keep the gains they made and protect their progress.

We offer an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), extended residential treatment, and transitional living for men who desire to lead a positive life free from drugs and alcohol. Please contact us today to learn about the PACE difference.