Addiction comes with its fair share of negative emotions. Before an individual finally comes to terms with the fact that help is needed, he or she is likely to experience a wide range of emotions including shame, anger, and guilt. However, while active addiction is a time to experience these complicating and challenging emotions, recovery is a time to address them and make changes. So, recovery may be taxing on a person as they work to become a better person day by day. In order to keep up with recovery efforts and maintain a course of sobriety, self care is essential. In this article, we discover what self care actually is, why it’s important, and tips on how to practice this crucial aspect of recovery.

Why Self Care is Important on Your Recovery Journey

So, what is self care? Basically, self care is the idea that one should spend time making sure that physical, mental, and emotional health are all being managed properly. Everyone’s needs and health is different. So, self care techniques may differ from person to person. Practicing self care is vital to recovery success because if we don’t, the chances of a successful recovery are slim to none.

During active recovery, a person goes through a lot of negative, including neglecting the needs of the self. Using addictive substances is actually a form of neglect. And, can lead to a number of side effects that one may have to address during recovery. To combat these side effects and change the mindset of self-abuse, self care is vital. A part of recovery is recognizing negative habits and pursuing new, healthy thought patterns and behaviors. This includes learning and instilling self care methods.

Steps to Taking Self Care Seriously

Fortunately, there are a few things a person in recovery can do to keep up with self care efforts. Eventually, because self care is personal and specific, you’ll be able to recognize which self care efforts work best for you. And, you can continue with instilling the best self care methods in your life according to your individual needs.

Some steps a person in recovery can make to increase self care efforts include:

Get your sleep: When sleep schedules are thrown off, we’re more likely to not be able to manage our emotions and stay on top of tasks. This could, in turn, put our recovery in jeopardy.

Keep up with your exercise regimen: Exercise works well to stimulate the release of endorphins which are responsible for mood management.

Don’t skip appointments: A great way to practice self care is to keep on top of your therapist, doctor, and group meeting appointments.

Eat right: Fueling your body right plays a big part in how you’ll feel throughout the day. Practicing good eating habits can keep this in check so you can better manage your feelings and get things done.

Take care of your hygiene: When all else fails, take a bath. Sometimes, the simplest of self care efforts can help us to get back to feeling like ourselves. If you’re struggling with staying motivated or feeling down, focus on getting clean (literally).

Spend time in nature: Getting out and viewing the beauty of God’s creation can help put things in perspective when things seem out of whack in recovery. Getting outside can help to slow things down so they’re in better perspective.

Work on acceptance: Being able to accept the bad things that happen in life can help everyone to better manage their emotions. Life comes with its ups and downs. But being able to accept it all is a great piece of self care everyone can take advantage of in their own lives.

What is Self Care in Treatment?

You can begin to learn about the importance of self care. And how to go about practicing this necessary skill during addiction treatment. If you’re looking for a facility that understands the importance of self care, consider Wellness Retreat Recovery Center.

Here at our facility, we include a number of holistic therapies to help individuals practice self care. And, determine which methods of self care are best for them. To learn more about our holistic treatments and how we can help you or a loved one establish a life of recovery, contact us today.