18 Healthy Ways to Cultivate Good Mental Health in Recovery
Taking care of your mental health during recovery is vital to your success. Being in a good head space can help prevent relapse because it means you’re not making decisions with clouded judgement. To invest in your mental health try these:
- Continue drug or alcohol rehab treatment throughout recovery. Whether that is a 12-step meeting or support groups, it is important to surround yourself with like-minded people who share similar goals. No matter how long you have been in recovery, you should never stop working to maintain sobriety.
- Continue seeing your therapist and take your medications as prescribed. Mental illness is a risk factor for addiction so taking care of your mental health is important.
- Find an accountability partner or mentor. Having someone you can call in times of need can provide a source of comfort.
- Find a hobby you enjoy. Believe it or not, participating in a hobby you enjoy will release dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure.
- Develop a consistent routine. Having a consistent routine will make it easier to prioritize what is important to you in your day to day life and can also help you plan for the future. Start by setting your clothes out the night before or meal prepping your meals for the week. Slowly but surely your routine will begin to stick and this consistency can help with alleviating some of the anxiety you may be feeling.
- Try new, healthy recipes to fuel your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs!
- Take supplements to ensure you’re getting enough of these vitamins if you do not get them with your diet.
- Spend time with friends and family.
- Read a good book or listen to podcasts that interest you!
- Go outside! Spending time outside is always an instant mood booster!
- Volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about. Whether this is a local animal shelter, your child’s school, or your favorite museum, doing good for others is something you can feel proud of.
- Adopt a new pet from a local shelter. Saving a pet’s life is not only heroic, but you get the added bonus of having a loving, loyal companion to spend your days with!
- Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness will undoubtedly help you relax, but did you know it can also reduce pain, curb cravings, and decrease anxiety?
- Take time to travel. You have worked hard to get to recovery, why not reward yourself with a couple fun trips?
- Practice gratitude. Expressing gratitude to those who have helped you along the way feels good and makes others feel good as well!
- Get adequate sleep each night. Prioritizing a good sleep schedule is important for maintaining good mental health but it will also help keep your body operating at its optimal level.
- Keep your home clean and tidy. A clean space can do wonders to curb anxiety and will leave you feeling relaxed and proud of your accomplishments.
- Reconnect with loved ones with whom you may have a strained relationship. Addiction changes the way the brain functions and makes us not like ourselves, so it is likely that one or more of your relationships have suffered because of it. Once you feel you are in a good place, reach out to those people so that you can restore those cherished connections.
If you or a loved one are struggling in recovery or would like information on how The Source Treatment Center can help you in your recovery, give us a call at (800) 204-0418 or visit us online at www.thesourcetreatmentcenter.com. We would be honored to assist you in your recovery!
The Source quite frankly saved my life and got me back on track, never giving giving up on me. When you are thinking about and looking through all of the different places to go for treatment this is the one that should stand out from the rest.
