One of the more difficult adjustments to post-treatment life is adapting to one’s new social life. While drinking or drug use may have been primary elements in social situations before, it will be necessary to make mindful decisions about one’s new social life. Mothers who are used to “wine time” or drinking as a form of relaxation and self-care must make an active decision to fill that “mom time” with more nourishing activities. This can be an uncomfortable adjustment. Mothers may feel like their routine is completely unfamiliar. However, post-treatment life is a new beginning for clients and it is crucial to find joy and freedom in one’s sobriety.
At First Steps Recovery, we work to understand clients on a deep level to guide them to make healthy choices that are reasonable for them. Clients are introduced to a number of self-directed, holistic care activities that can help reshape their downtime or social time. These adjustments encourage healing and sobriety long-term.
“Mom Time”: Finding Sober Activities and Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Sober activities and healthy coping mechanisms are key elements in maintaining long-term sobriety. These activities are an important part of relapse prevention. While relapse is not abnormal or something to be ashamed of, it is crucial to make active, healthy decisions to prolong sobriety as long as possible. A significant part of relapse is using mind-body relaxation, which can be achieved through calming and healthy coping mechanisms.
Easing and reducing stress should be one of the main priorities of “mom time,” especially in the early phases of post-treatment. Since stress and negativity can cloud one’s post-treatment life, having these intentional moments invites peace and grounds oneself in sobriety.
Types of Relapses and How to Avoid Them
There are emotional, mental, and physical relapses. During emotional relapse, clients often bottle up their emotions, isolate themselves, avoid interactions with the facility, and avoid sharing their thoughts and feelings. They may focus on solving other people’s problems and engage in poor eating and sleeping habits. When these symptoms arise, self-care should be practiced and prioritized.
Emotional relapses can lead to thoughts about engaging in addictive behaviors, which becomes a mental relapse. A mental relapse can eventually become a physical relapse. However, these further stages and potential relapse can be avoided by making active efforts. There are many ways to change one’s responses. Some ways are by redefining fun, learning from setbacks, and learning how to address these setbacks in a positive way. Also, it can be difficult, but it’s helpful to become comfortable with discomfort during the process. Mindfulness can help with this.
How Can Holistic Care Be Incorporated Into “Mom Time?”
Holistic care helps clients redefine fun and helps mothers redefine their “mom time.” As said previously, “mom time” can often revolve largely around wine or drinking as this may be a significant part of mom culture. However, post-treatment life is very different and requires clients to understand what feels best for themselves and what makes their “mom time” relaxing and beneficial for their recovery lifestyle.
Slower breathing, lowered blood pressure, and reduced heart rate are characteristics of a relaxation response. This response is the complete opposite of a stress response. While there are different kinds of relaxation techniques, finding ones that promote peace, enjoyment, and fulfillment is key. Everyone is different, but First Steps Recovery is there to expose clients to different kinds of care to help them personalize their healing toolbox. Relaxation-focused holistic care includes mindfulness, meditation, and yoga, though clients may discover inner peace through other services offered.
“Mom Time”: Mindfulness and Meditation at First Steps Recovery
One of the relaxation-centered holistic services offered is mindfulness therapy. Mindfulness therapy is a type of talk therapy in which clients become more present to aspects of themselves and their surroundings. Clients learn how to maintain awareness of their thoughts, feelings, emotions, surroundings, life situations, bodies, and behaviors. Awareness is a key element of this therapy. Clients must become aware of their negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to address them.
Meditation is a part of mindfulness therapy that helps clients integrate the mind and body to promote calmness and relaxation. Completely focusing on the physical, mental, and emotional body helps the client prevent relapse and curb cravings. Especially when cravings or discomfort with sobriety arise, practicing mindfulness meditation grounds clients back in the present moment and helps them regain control over their thoughts and emotions.
“Mom Time”: Yoga Therapy at First Steps Recovery
Another relaxation-centered therapy is yoga therapy. Through this practice, clients improve physical aspects of their bodies, such as strength and flexibility. However, this gentle physical activity improves a client’s focus, relaxation, concentration, and focus. Yoga helps restore balance to the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of a person. This practice also includes breathwork to help clients regulate and control their emotions to invite peace.
For mothers looking to fill their “mom time” with beneficial practices, relaxation techniques through yoga and mindfulness meditation may be optimal choices. These practices not only invite peace but give mothers a block of time to focus on themselves, their recovery goals, and reducing stress.
Here at First Steps Recovery, we introduce clients to healthy coping mechanisms they can use long-term. This is done through our holistic services. For mothers looking to implement healing “mom time” into their daily routines to find freedom from negative thoughts and emotions, relaxation techniques can be beneficial. Yoga and mindfulness therapies are offered at our facility to introduce mothers to these relaxing practices. These therapies help clients focus on themselves in the present moment and address negative thoughts and emotions in a productive manner. Mothers may face lots of stress during their days, so intentionally carving out time for peace is important. To learn more about relaxation skills for mothers, call us at (844) 489-0836.
Dr. Curl is the Medical Director and primary on-site provider for First Steps Recovery. He is a Board Certified Internist and Addiction Medicine Specialist having attended the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completing his residency at Mount Auburn Hospital with Harvard Medical School. Following several years work as an internist and physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation). Dr. Curl completed the Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Howard University in Washington DC and participated as a RAM Scholar (Research in Addiction Medicine). While part of the fellowship, Dr. Curl pursued research investigating the barriers to expanding and improving medication for opioid use disorder. Following his fellowship, Dr. Curl spearheaded the Opiate Use Disorder outpatient clinic and worked in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences within the Howard University Hospital. In 2023, Dr. Curl completed his Board Certification in Addiction Medicine.
