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Why is self-care so important in recovery?

There are many benefits to self-care in general. In recovery, self-care helps you to stay on your recovery path.

What are the benefits of practicing self-care?

By actively taking care of your health, you help lower the risk of dealing with problems later. For example, by eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly, you help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Your physical health and mental health affect each other. For instance, by getting enough sleep, your body rests and you can be more energized and focused on your work. And if you take care of your mental health, it can be easier to get quality sleep.

Likewise, good physical and mental health allows you to work toward your goals. This in turn fosters positive self-esteem. And when you feel good about yourself, you put more effort into taking care of yourself. 

Mental health includes your psychological and emotional well-being. It also includes social well-being, which might not be something that we normally think about as self-care. However, respecting your own boundaries is important. It keeps you protected from the negative behaviors of others, such as verbal abuse or being taken for granted.

How does self-care help in recovery?

If you have a substance or alcohol use disorder, you probably have used them to escape stressful things or emotional pain. With self-care, you nurture your mental and physical health so that you reduce your chances of turning to drugs or alcohol to cope. Additionally, by physically and mentally feeling your best, you can also work toward your full potential. 

By working toward goals that matter to you, you have less time to and less thoughts of using substances. You’ll also have a motivation to avoid them. In fact, people in recovery have reported boredom and anxiety as reasons for relapse. Other reasons for relapse include a lack of motivators, like a job, life purpose, or healthy relationships with others.

By taking care of yourself, you can help reduce stress and anxiety and fill your time with activities you enjoy. Below, we’ll go over specific ways you can do this while in recovery.

How do you practice self-care in recovery?

Self-care in recovery includes doing things to keep you feeling your best. It also includes fostering positive and supportive relationships.

What are some self-care strategies you can try if you’re struggling in recovery?

Some helpful self-care strategies that individuals in recovery have shared include exercising, eating a healthy diet, and keeping busy. Other strategies are:

· Maintaining boundaries: An example of maintaining your boundaries is prioritizing the things that are important to you. Saying “no” more often to the friend who always assumes you will help them whenever they need you.

· Maintaining spirituality: Self-care looks different for each person. Religion and spirituality are not for everyone. Some might prefer to volunteer or engage in hobbies, for example. 

· Dealing with negative emotions: It’s important to face negative emotions and deal with them. This can help you avoid using substances to cope with these emotions. How important is social support in self-care?

Social support is essential in self-care and recovery from substance use disorders. We are social beings who thrive on healthy relationships with people who support us. The same is true when you are in recovery. Some ways you can build or enhance your support network include:

· Joining a support group for substance use disorders such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or SMART Recovery

· Opening up about your substance use disorder with someone you trust.

· Volunteering with a group that has the same passions as you.

· Spending quality time with family and friends

· Surrounding yourself with those who accept and respect you.

Can self-care prevent a relapse?

Self-care is one of the “rules of recovery” because stress can lead to relapse.

Research has found this to be the case at the biological level as well. Cortisol is a hormone that our bodies release when we are under stress. The more stress we experience, the greater the amount of cortisol our bodies release. A few studies have found that increases in cortisol were associated with relapse.

In addition, relapse is not a one-time event. Rather, it occurs in three stages: 

1. Emotional relapse: First, you experience emotional difficulties, and so you might withdraw from others and bottle up your emotions. When you notice this happening, it is a sign to connect with others and share your emotions. This can help keep you from progressing to the next stage of relapse.

2. Mental relapse: The second stage involves consciously thinking about using drugs or alcohol again. When you notice yourself having such thoughts, therapy is very important. In therapy, you can identify risky situations in which you are likely to relapse. Then, you and your therapist can develop strategies for avoiding or coping in these situations.

3. Physical relapse: The third stage is where you actually use substances again. Even though you may feel disappointed for relapsing, it is never too late to get yourself back on the road of recovery. Recovery is a long-term process with ups and downs.

The bottom line

By putting in the time and effort to care for your physical and mental self, you reduce the chance for health problems later. Self-care strategies can help you prevent relapse and have a successful recovery. Strategies include everything from getting enough sleep to connecting with others and enforcing your boundaries.