Realizing that you are facing substance use disorder may be a difficult time in life, especially if life events and the circumstances are not going in your favor. This time in your life may be challenging, but with the right help, it can be accomplished. Thousands of people around the world managed to find the light at the end of the tunnel, so you need to believe that you will be one of the winners who survived a difficult period in life and managed to turn their situation around. Here are a few ways that can help you cope.
Discover new hobbies
People who decide to fight their battles and beat themselves find hobbies quite helpful in filling up the time and using their energy for something creative. Keeping yourself occupied is the number one goal you should have in mind to prevent relapses and make sure your recovery is as successful as possible. Depending on your interests, you can turn to read books, drawing, writing, photography, cooking, exercising, volunteering or taking a course.
Reading can be a great way of diving into the new, unknown worlds that will feel up your days and help you forget about everything else. Writing can be sort of a filter to your feelings and experiences, but also one of the sources of income. Photography is a pretty interesting hobby, because looking at the interesting things in nature and trying to find the best light to take the photo will engage you and help you relax.
People love cooking and experimenting with different flavors and trying out various cuisines will be exciting. Also, let’s not forget the physical aspect of recovery. Your body needs plenty of vitamins and minerals to recover from the experience you’ve been going through. With plenty of meat, vegetables, fruits, and water, you will be on the right path to getting control over your health.
Exercising is a natural way to raise the levels of endorphins and serotonin, which are feel-good chemicals necessary for regaining the joy in life. Even going for a walk at first is enough. Choose the type of exercising that makes you feel good about yourself and make a schedule that you will be able to stick to. The crucial thing is to learn more about the things that drive you and make you happy. Try a few things and see what you like the most. Take some time to rediscover your preferences and focus on something positive and productive. The most important thing is not to get discouraged if you don’t find it right away, it may take time, but it will be worth it.
Find your passion
In order to recover fully and give yourself the chance to live a fulfilled life, you will need a structure, plenty of sleep, quality food and the reason that will drive you to get up in the morning. Going through major changes in life is not easy. Be gentle to yourself through the challenging times and seek help from professionals who will guide you at first and give you the structure you need, so you can build your life again. If you feel you are ready, check here.
Give yourself time to heal and to rediscover the things that give you pleasure. Turning to yoga may be a good initial step to breathe deeply and reconnect with yourself, so you can understand better what your body is trying to tell you, but also to give a chance to your soul to emerge.
Rehab clinics have great structures that keep the people who wish to recover occupied. The schedule is planned and transparent, so you can completely rely on the schedule. In the beginning, predictability can be of great help. During the idle moments, you can rediscover the things that you enjoy and try out things that interest you.
The most important thing to understand is that recovery is a process. It will take time, and that is perfectly fine. There is no rush. You didn’t get into the position you are in overnight, so don’t expect it to be done overnight either. Some people become social media experts after they finish the initial recovery process, others become famous photographers, writers, chefs or find some other thing that will fulfill their days, but be profitable at the same time.
Replace your bad habits with the new ones
It takes 21 days to create a new habit. It is the time necessary for us to adjust. Fighting the urge to go back to the old habits may be tempting, but turn to the things that fulfill your time and bring you joy. Volunteering may be a good way to give back to society and realize that there are so many things in the world that require your attention. Feeling useful and communicating with other people who may have gone through the same things as you did may put everything into the perspective and help you cope with it better.
Trust yourself and believe that you can overcome your addiction. By engaging in the things you are passionate about, you will be able to connect with other people with similar interests which will help you rely on the people who got to know you at the point in life that you are proud of. One positive thing leads to another and every step counts.
Being grateful is also one of the ways to acknowledge all the blessings you have received. Name all the things you are grateful for and you will soon realize that your perspective changes and that the way you look at life has completely shifted. Life is beautiful and it should be cherished. Take the chance to rebuild your life and accomplish your goals and turn your dreams into a reality. Remember, you are a hero of your own life! Do everything you can to find your passion and turn that energy into the creative force that will drive you towards success in life.
