Rebuilding After Addiction Treatment
When you enter treatment for addiction, you are leaving behind a lot of negative consequences from your addiction. Chances are, you are finally getting help because of all of these negative consequences. You may also be thinking, “can I get my life back after treatment”? It will be hard to repair a lot of the damage that addiction has left in its’ wake, but luckily, there is always a great chance for getting your life back on track.
Repairing Relationships
One of the most important things you will want to do when you complete treatment is to begin work on repairing your relationships. Addiction can get in between precious relationships, and chances are, a lot of this may have happened to you. Addiction can cause divorce, rifts between parent and child, or other friends and family members shutting out you out of their lives for the sake of their own safety and well-being. Getting important people back in your life after treatment is a huge step in getting your life back after addiction.
The most important step to repairing these relationships is to surrender to yourself and apologize for your misgivings. This effort will mean a lot, and is the first step to getting your life back on track after treatment. It may take ongoing work and effort for both parties, but in the end, it will be well worth it.
Tips for a New Start
When you return back to normal life, it can be difficult to figure out what your new lifestyle might be like. Having been through treatment, you now do not have your addiction holding you down anymore, and you are able to accomplish just about anything you put your mind to. Getting a new, refreshing start on life is a great way to get your life back on track.
Stay Busy
One of the most important things to do after treatment is to stay busy. This can be anything from starting a new hobby, learning a new language, getting a new job or volunteering. You may also want to think about your current surroundings, and whether or not they are conducive to your sobriety.
Returning to the same environment you had your addiction in can be triggering, so moving to a new home, town or city should be taken into consideration. This moving process and rebuilding a new life in a new place can keep you busy and focused.
Make Sober Friends
Making new friends is difficult for anyone, especially later in life. However, making new sober friends is extremely important while you are in recovery. Surrounding yourself with other sober people will take away temptations, plus, you will learn how to have a great time without needing to be drunk or high. Removing old friends or influences from your life who tempted you to use is a great step on getting your life back on track.
In addition, making sober friends is important so that you can have a good support system around you. Being there for each other, listening to each other’s stories and advice and helping each other through hard times can be very beneficial to your recovery. You can also bring your sober friends with you to non-sober events or gatherings and vice versa, and being supportive to another sober person can be very rewarding.
Set Some Goals
Now is a great time to set some goals for yourself to work toward. Since addiction is not holding you down anymore, the world is full of possibilities for you to accomplish. Setting goals and having something to work toward is a great way to begin work on getting your life back. These goals can be anything such as:
- Getting a new job or promotion
- Losing weight
- Saving money
- Travel to a new country
Stay with Your Program
The most important way you can get your life back on track after addiction treatment is to stay with your program. As the saying goes, “if you work it – it works.” Stay on top of your meetings and aftercare appointments so that you stay on track. Keep an eye out for any possible signs of relapse, and listen to people who may be concerned for you. Staying sober is the most important thing in your life as far as getting your life back, and should be treated as the number one priority.
About Cliffside Malibu
If you are ready to get your life back on track after addiction, we can help. Not only do we give you all the tools you need to be successful in life, but we also arm you with a comprehensive aftercare program, customized for you and your needs.
Each patient is then matched with one of these five stages of the Transtheoretical Model: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action and Maintenance. An individualized treatment plan is created based on their current stage of change. This process is in place to ensure that all our patients receive the best treatment path possible for their own specific need. Our goal is to move individuals through their treatment by assessing their readiness for change and formulating stage-matched interventions in order to move them through their respective stage.
It is the policy of Cliffside Malibu to ensure that all individuals who present with chemical dependency issues are assessed for the appropriate level of care. We strive to provide continuum of care including medically supervised detox, residential treatment, day treatment and outpatient services. Services are provided to individuals with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse and/or alcohol addiction. Individuals seeking treatment are assessed by qualified staff to ensure program criteria are met and that each individual admitted is placed in the appropriate level of care for treatment. The program is designed and structured for individuals who are in need of a supportive environment in order to maintain Sobriety.
For more information on Cliffside Malibu, visit cliffsidemalibu.com