The following article was written by Molly Anderson and sent to me:
Getting
Your Physical and Mental Health Back on Track While in Addiction
Recovery
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| Photo Credit:
maxlkt, Pixabay
|
Getting sober,
maintaining sobriety, making healthy changes, resuming a normal
lifestyle – the whole process of quitting an addiction and being in
recovery are difficult. However, the reward is worth the challenge,
as you'll find yourself feeling much better, and you'll get a fresh
start in life. The healthy changes you make will aid in getting
sober, staying sober, and feeling healthier both physically and
mentally.
Assessing the Damage
Abusing drugs or
alcohol harms your body, mind, and relationships. Different
substances have different
effects.
Amphetamines can cause insomnia, depression, cardiovascular issues,
loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal issues. Cocaine can cause
fatigue, depression, anxiety, and restlessness. Other drugs have
harmful effects on the mind and organs as well. The negative effects
of substance abuse can lead to issues that cause malnutrition and
physical and mental illnesses.
Addiction can also harm
relationships. Whether it's physical abuse, emotional abuse, or
letting others down, friends and family members are often hurt by an
addict’s behavior. Finding ways to repair the damaged relationships
can help you let go of guilt and any negative feelings you have about
yourself, which can help improve your mental health. Consider
attending
family
therapy with your family and friends once you’ve
completed recovery. Your counselor can decide the best timing, but
it’s usually a few months or a year after treatment begins.
Finding Healing
Activities
Most people who abuse
drugs or alcohol are probably not involved in healthy activities such
as yoga, meditation, and acupuncture. In recovery, you can start up
these activities to be used as
holistic
therapies, which can improve your health and keep you
on track to remain sober.
Meditation
teaches you to become aware of your thoughts, emotions, and
sensations through breathing and concentration. This technique can be
used to fight cravings, to deal with the physical pains many people
deal with in recovery, and to fight negative emotions, such as
anxiety and depression.
Yoga produces long
lasting changes to the body, both physically and mentally, which help
maintain a healthy lifestyle. Yoga creates a sense of calm and solace
and is a positive coping mechanism when dealing with depression,
anxiety, anger, guilt, and other negative emotions. Yoga and
mindfulness can be combined to provide energy, satisfaction, and
stability during your path to recovery.
Certain points used in
acupuncture
can address targeted parts of the body – such as the kidney, lungs,
and liver – that are damaged from drug or alcohol abuse.
Acupuncture can also help calm the body so that you can let go of
negative feelings, such as anger or anxiety, and get in touch with
your emotions. Acupuncture may also help to alleviate physical pain
and insomnia.
Diet and Exercise
Part of addiction
recovery includes improved health, which means beginning to
exercise.
Exercise releases endorphins, so it can be an alternative to drugs.
It can also
reduce
stress, improve mental health and mood, and benefit your organs,
bones, and muscles. Getting healthy also involves good nutrition.
A well-balanced diet provides energy so you don’t feel fatigued,
and it provides the nutrients you need for growth and repair. Your
diet affects all parts of your body, including your heart, immune
system, bones, teeth, and mental health.
Another important step
in your road to recovery is to figure out your
goals.
This includes both clinical treatment goals and goals for employment,
education, social activities, and housing. Once you establish your
goals, you can work with a counselor to pursue and achieve them.
Recovery gives you a fresh start, so use this opportunity to heal
your mind and body with holistic therapies, diet, and exercise. You
can then work on healing relationships and accomplishing your goals
in life.
