How Keeping a Routine Helps in Addiction Recovery

Men and women, during the early stages of recovery, struggle with learning how to navigate daily stressors without resorting to substance abuse. This happens because those who suffer from addiction don’t have a well-structured routine prior to treatment.

If you are navigating your way through addiction recovery, one of the best ways to fight off relapse in the early stages is to develop a well-structured daily routine. With a schedule to adhere to, you’ll have no idle time. Additionally, having a daily routine helps improve both the mind and the body, preparing you for your long-term goals after addiction recovery. To give you an idea about how a well-structured routine can help you, here are some of its benefits.

The Benefits of Keeping a Daily Routine for Recovering Addicts

One of the main benefits of having a daily routine is that it reprograms both the mind and the body to get accustomed to a healthier lifestyle:

Increased Self-Esteem

Men and women in recovery often have low levels of self-esteem. When you are at rock bottom, you might think that you cannot accomplish anything.

With a routine to follow every day, you will have a sense of accomplishment for every task that is done. This reassures you that you are capable of achieving what you have set yourself out to do, which is to build a sober life.

Confidence to Undertake Greater Responsibilities

Life in recovery is more than just refraining from taking alcohol or drugs. Many suffer from learned helplessness, which makes them feel powerless and hesitant to take responsibility for themselves.

With a daily routine, you’ll learn proper time management, compartmentalization of tasks, prioritization, and more. These things will help you develop a sense of responsibility within yourself and give you more confidence to undertake greater responsibilities as you get better.

Improved Mental Health

Many people question: does routine help mental health improvement? The answer to that is yes.

Men and women who struggle with addiction are often also burdened with other mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. Waking up without a plan can put one at unease. With a daily routine in place, you will be able to focus and feel that everything is within control. Thus, reducing the risk of falling into a depressed or anxious state that can cause a relapse.

Establishing a Daily Routine to Help Depression and Anxiety for Recovering Addicts

Coming up with different ways to establish a routine can be hard at first. Here are some tips to consider:

• Sleep – When it comes to establishing a routine, it is essential to have a consistent sleep schedule. Even if you do not have to wake up early in the morning, consider doing so to avoid oversleeping. Oversleeping can lead to boredom, depression, and physical and mental health issues. Having a consistent schedule leads to a healthy sleeping pattern.
• Nutrition – The food you eat affects your body’s functions, so creating a healthy meal plan is essential to an effective routine. Many years of drug and alcohol abuse can take their toll on your health. Eating nutritious meals can help your body recover from the abuse it has suffered.
• Fitness – Incorporating fitness activities into your routine will benefit you as well. Exercising is great for both physical and mental health. Some exercises such as morning walks, yoga, and hiking can be therapeutic. Make sure that you do everything by your schedule and not just at times you want to. This helps establish your routine effectively.
• Hobbies and Interests – Set a time for your hobbies and interests as well. This can help you regain a sense of self, which is an essential part of the process of addiction recovery. By spending time on your hobbies and interests, you get a chance to reconstruct a new you.
• Journaling – You can also add journaling to your daily routine. Write about the thoughts, feelings, reflections, and realizations you’ve had on your journey to sobriety. This will help you recognize the progress you have made.
• Recovery Support – Surround yourself with people who will support your recovery. Having support groups has proven to be effective in helping sustain abstinence. Consider having regular meetings or scheduled chats with people who listen and are capable of empathy.

Let Haven House Recovery Center Help

Keeping a daily routine yields many long-term benefits. It prepares you for life after recovery. At Haven House Recovery Center, we develop a distinctive treatment program for every person, and that includes a daily routine that can help men struggling with addiction better cope with the effects of withdrawal and navigate the addiction recovery process to a life of sobriety. We believe that everyone in recovery needs to pay close attention to their physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing, so expect that we’ll develop a routine to address all these aspects of your life. We have a recovery center near Nashville to welcome you. For inquiries, reach out to us. Give us a call or send us an email.