Finding Joy in Recovery

Addiction is a cruel disorder that eventually strips people of everything they hold dear – their relationships, their livelihoods and even their home and safety. A crucial component of the recovery journey involves learning how to have fun and enjoy life without the burdens of drug or alcohol use weighing you down.

While you might expect to be miserable in an addiction recovery program, that’s far from the truth. On the contrary, rehab is where you can rediscover who you truly are without hiding behind alcohol and drugs. You’ll have the newfound freedom to experience the everyday joys you thought were lost to you forever. Here are our top three tips for finding the joy in your recovery.

1. Surround Yourself With Positive People

Especially early in recovery, you’ll need to avoid places and people that put your recovery at risk. Obviously, that means situations that remind you of when you were actively using, as well as your old drug or drinking buddies, but even some of the sober people you know can jeopardize the progress you’ve made if they belittle you or fail to respect your boundaries.

Instead of spending time around these negative people, find supportive friends and family members who understand your need to prioritize your recovery above all else – people who serve as a shoulder to cry on when you’re struggling, or who are willing to celebrate your successes with you, no matter how small.

2. Manage Your Stress

One of the earliest lessons you will learn on your recovery journey is that avoiding stress is essential if you hope to prevent relapse. When you start to feel overwhelmed, remember there are practical strategies you can use to manage stress in a healthy way.

• Be patient: There are no shortcuts in recovery.
• Learn to say no: It’s OK to set time aside for yourself when you need it. If you feel overtaxed, ask yourself what you can take off your plate.
• Find new outlets: Take up a new hobby, or learn to practice mindfulness meditation, journaling or yoga.

3. Find New Ways to Have Fun

Addiction eventually rewires your brain to the point where you can’t feel good or normal without drinking or using drugs. One of the most fundamental things you’ll need to learn in recovery is how to enjoy your sober lifestyle and find new ways to fill your hours. Boredom is another common relapse trigger for people, so you may have to force yourself to get out and about while your brain chemistry returns to its normal balance. Find activities you’ve never tried before to help stimulate your curiosity and expand your horizons. Take a class at your local community center, or give back to others with volunteer work. There’s no shortage of ways to have fun while remaining sober.

Rediscovering Everyday Happiness

In recovery, you can begin the work of regaining what addiction robbed you of. As you do so, you will begin to feel intensely grateful for everything you still have – including your life and your opportunity to rebuild a sober future. Every year, too many people lost to active addiction never get that second chance, but you don’t have to become part of those statistics. Your recovery is waiting for you at Complete Harmony. Our holistic addiction treatment programs give you the tools to start again. Contact us today to learn more about our California recovery center and start the admissions process.

How to Overcome Social Anxiety Without Relying on Alcohol

If you struggle with social anxiety disorder – a condition that affects up to 15 million American adults – you may have become accustomed to drinking alcohol as a “lubricant” that gets you through parties, family reunions, meeting new people and other situations that require you to interact with others. Now, in recovery, you’re learning to live your life without using alcohol as a crutch. Keeping that in mind, we’ve put together some tips to help you deal with situations that might cause you to feel nervous or inadequate.

What Is Social Anxiety?

The hallmark of social anxiety disorder is a fear of others judging you or viewing you in a negative light, accompanied by feelings of intense distress in unavoidable social situations. Common symptoms include:

• Sweating, shaking, dizziness, nausea or full-fledged panic attacks in social situations
• Fear of embarrassing yourself or people mocking you in public
• Experiencing emotional upheaval when you are the focus of people’s attention

Though people with social anxiety commonly experience shyness or low self-confidence, it’s crucial to note the difference between merely being shy and having social anxiety disorder. For people with social anxiety, almost any interaction with others can be nearly crippling. Even something as simple as ordering food in a restaurant or asking for a grocery store clerk’s help can cause a social anxiety sufferer’s heart rate to spike and their palms to sweat. People living with social anxiety might fret over things like going to parties, weddings or job interviews weeks before they occur.

Tips for Managing Social Anxiety Without Drinking

Now that you’re newly sober, you’ll need to learn to manage anxiety and other emotions you previously masked by drinking. Here are our top tips for keeping anxiety at bay without turning to alcohol.

1. Meditate and Reflect
At the first signs of anxiety or panic, take a moment for yourself. Find a quiet place where you can sit calmly and spend a few minutes practicing deep breathing and regulating your thoughts. Remind yourself that you are not alone, and that many other people experience social anxiety as well. If your attention wanders, bring yourself back to your breath.

2. Keep a Journal
Journaling is a beneficial habit for anyone who wants to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of themselves. Keep a daily log of your accomplishments and setbacks, and note times when you felt most like returning to your old, self-destructive habits. As you look back on the notes you’ve written yourself, you may notice a pattern emerging that you can learn how to leverage to your advantage.

3. Rely on Your Support Network
When you’re struggling to stay afloat, reach out to close friends or family members who understand what you're going through. Letting others know when you’re worried about social gatherings, parties or even merely leaving the house can help you gain a new perspective. If the prospect of going to a party has you on edge, bring a friend with you. Having a friendly, familiar face to focus on will calm you down and make you less susceptible to drinking.

You Deserve to Be Your Best

If you’re seeking help for your drinking or drug problem, let the Complete Harmony team help you reconnect with yourself and rediscover your full potential. We offer an innovative treatment model that represents a holistic alternative to traditional 12-step rehabilitation programs. Call 866-930-4673 to speak to one of our team members about our complete continuum of care.