Addiction recovery is greater than the sum of its parts, and there are many “parts” to a healthy recovery. Starting with medically supervised detox, a recovery journey involves rehabilitation, therapy, support groups, a family safety net, and, for many, a faith community. There are also specific life skills that will increase the chances of successfully achieving and maintaining a life of sobriety.
At Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge (PAATC), we help our clients develop the life skills we believe will support them most. If you would like to speak to one of our compassionate staff members about how to access services through PAATC and start your recovery journey, use our online form or call us at 844.442.8673 today.
3 Life Skills for Addiction Recovery
Your recovery from drug addiction goes through stages that involve:
- Pre-contemplation, which happens before you even think about changing your habits
- Contemplation, which occurs once you have admitted to yourself there’s a problem, but you aren’t ready for change yet
- Preparation occurs when you are making plans and seeking advice
- Taking action happens when you are in treatment, starting with detox
- Maintenance occurs while you are post-treatment and ready to live a sober life
During the maintenance stage, there is always a risk of relapse. Developing life skills that support your recovery will be of invaluable help to you.
1. Responsible Time Management
This skill is paramount to leading a life in recovery for several reasons. Without time management, it is easy to become overwhelmed or bored, and the risk of relapse increases in either case.
The time once consumed by acquiring your drug of choice and consuming it is now freed up. Use that time wisely by making to-do lists, maintaining a calendar, and eliminating distractions.
Time management skills will help you maintain sobriety. The staff at PAATC are skilled at helping you prioritize and develop in these areas.
2. Healthy Relationships
Another life skill that supports addiction recovery is the ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships. When someone is in the throes of addiction, relationships often fall by the wayside, and meaningful connections to family and friends are lost. In recovery, you’ll need those relationships to support you through your process.
Not only do you need others, but the people who love you will need to know you are okay. They will be grateful to be invited back into your life and eager to know they play a part in helping you stay sober.
Also, it will do you good to know that you are supporting them. We all benefit from feeling needed and wanted and knowing that we are helpful, useful, and meaningful to others. As you progress in your recovery, you’ll be able to show up for friends and family in ways you may not have been able to while abusing substances.
At PAATC, you may experience support groups and forge other connections during outpatient or inpatient rehab. Your experiences will offer good practice as you get back into the swing of relationships.
3. Practicing Self-Care
Replacing self-harm habits with self-care habits is vital to your recovery. Taking care of yourself is a valuable life skill no matter what. Many people struggle to value themselves enough to make it a priority. It’s something that you can work on in your rehab program with us at PAATC.
Self-care is something to add to your “to-do” list mentioned above, so you don’t skip it. What it looks like will be different for everyone, but some basic elements of healthy self-care include:
- A healthy diet
- Staying hydrated
- Adequate sleep
- Exercise
- Mental and physical hygiene
- Maintaining healthy relationships
- Stress management
- Meditation, journaling, and other activities to maintain balance and calm
For you, self-care may include something as simple as showering daily or making your bed, something as personal as getting a pedicure or taking your dog to the dog park, or something as small as treating yourself to a latte at the local café.
Whatever self-care looks like for you, do not forget to make it a priority.
Learn More About Life Skills for Addiction Recovery at PAATC
At PAATC, there is nothing more important to us than ensuring that you are ready to move beyond our care and live a meaningful and happy life of recovery. If your journey has not yet begun, you can take the first step by contacting us through our online form or calling us at 844.442.8673. Our compassionate, professional staff will guide you through the steps to get you started.
