What Is The Key To Long Term Recovery?

What Is the Key to Long-Term Recovery?

Picture of Dr. Norris Von Curl, II, MD

Dr. Norris Von Curl, II, MD

Addiction recovery is a long battle, filled with trials and triumphs, leading to a life of sobriety. Healing is not linear and may require two steps forward and one step back. The important part is that you are not alone in your treatment journey. First Steps Recovery focuses on mental, emotional, and physical healing. The steps taken toward sobriety are outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which lists the four pillars of recovery: health, home, purpose, and community, and why each step is crucial to complete recovery and a lifestyle of happiness.

Health

The first step in addiction treatment is focusing on health. This is the process of making educated, healthy decisions that promote physical and emotional well-being while overcoming or managing symptoms. Restoring your health can begin by determining what damage addiction may have caused once substances are no longer in your body. Treatment is a great place to learn healthy habits again, such as sleeping regularly, eating nutritious meals, and exercising. Health is not just a decision. It is a lifestyle change that heals you progressively.

Practicing healthy habits will help you manage your addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), addiction isn’t curable but can be successfully managed. Through treatment, you can reclaim control over your life and combat addiction’s negative consequences on your brain, body, and behavior.

Home

As you enter treatment, you are surrounded by caring experts and a safe environment. This is meant to help you overcome your weakest moments to regain your internal strength. Once you are out of in-patient treatment, you embark on a more individual journey where you are in charge of your decisions and environment. Home is a part of healing because having a reliable and secure home is key to maintaining a healthy life.

When you surround yourself with positive imagery that is inspiring, you are more likely to feel happier. In contrast, if you surround yourself with an old environment that does not remind you to grow, you may stagnate or regress into old patterns. When you embark on your path of recovery, prioritize building a home for yourself. You may find it serves you more than you realize.

Purpose

Having a purpose in life is another healing element that is crucial to addiction recovery. A sense of purpose includes independence, income, and resources to engage in society, including your local community.  It includes carrying out essential daily activities like employment, volunteering, school, caring for family members, or engaging in artistic efforts. This can be carried out in several ways, but your focus is on the aspects of your life which provide you with a sense of purpose.

Having a purpose can refocus your brain, allowing you to take your mind off the need for substances. Without a goal, you are left to linger on the past. This may cause an increased risk of relapse. It is recommended to create a plan to manage addiction because having a purpose is a basic necessity for all humans. Purpose keeps you from stagnating and moving forward to the best version of yourself.

Community

The last element of holistic healing is community. Having social networks and relationships that offer hope, friendship, support, and love can give you a feeling of fulfillment. Community is crucial for enjoying and sustaining sobriety, avoiding feelings of loneliness, rediscovering oneself, and establishing connections with people who can relate to your situation. The start of a lifelong journey toward recovery does not finish with the completion of a treatment program. That is where it begins. When you finish treatment, you have acquired the skills to make new connections and relationships.

To keep your recovery strong requires you to be honest, express your emotions, and seek assistance. With these newfound feelings, problems, and the promotion of the rediscovery of self, it is crucial to have a safe, trusted group of people who have already traveled the journey in front of you. Research has shown that having a robust support network reduces the likelihood of relapse and offers the necessary social network for recovery. In addition, a supportive network encourages sharing and the realization that you will never have to confront anything alone again.

Treatment With Reason

With healing at the forefront of addiction treatment, you can be free from the grip of substance abuse. Making the decision that you need addiction treatment can be terrifying, but it could save your life. First Steps Recovery is ready to help you in a way that restores your health, no matter where you are in your journey. Contact the facility if you think you may have addiction problems. Anyone who is improving their life is welcome. Sobriety is not something one chooses to live. It is a truth. First Steps Recovery wants to support you in realizing your ambition.

As you decide to seek treatment, you may feel overwhelmed by the available options. Addiction treatment is a fundamental process that requires skilled physicians and staff. At First Steps Recovery, we provide the necessary tools for treatment and a safe environment that sets our patients at ease. All we ask from your end is that you make the personal choice to fight for a life of sobriety. Only you can choose to change. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will help guide you through the treatment processes until you feel confident enough to begin your life again. Please contact First Steps Recovery at (844) 489-0836.

As you decide to seek treatment, you may feel overwhelmed by the available options. Addiction treatment is a fundamental process that requires skilled physicians and staff. At First Steps Recovery, we provide the necessary tools for treatment and a safe environment that sets our patients at ease. All we ask from your end is that you make the personal choice to fight for a life of sobriety. Only you can choose to change. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will help guide you through the treatment processes until you feel confident enough to begin your life again. Please contact First Steps Recovery at (844) 489-0836.

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Meet Our Team

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