Thanksgiving Gratitude: Discovering Renewal and Freedom at Serenity Vista
Maintaining a healthy daily routine is hard for anyone. This is especially true while away from home. For someone recovering from alcoholism or drug addiction, the thought of maintaining sobriety on the road, whether for business or pleasure, is daunting. In early recovery, temptation is strongest and addicts are at their most vulnerable. Early addiction recovery travel can be potentially dangerous and put sobriety at risk of relapse.A major component to addiction treatment is re-establishing habits by trading the unhealthy for the beneficial. Building positive habits requires long term daily repetition and reinforcement. The last thing a recovering alcoholic or addict needs is to have his or her progress disrupted by a broken routine. A week-long conference for work, a few days away with family, a romantic weekend - all seemingly innocent and easy getaways - are sometimes just enough to knock a recovering addict off balance and thrust him or her into relapse.
If addiction is a cage then sobriety is the key to freedom. The irony is that many addicts in early recovery, and many beyond the initial stages, never learn the coping skills needed to deal with dynamic schedules. Rather than enjoying their freedom, they trade one cage for another, too scared to venture out and explore the world in fear of compromising their sobriety. While this is a totally understandable and normal fear, it’s important to remember that with the right mindset, training, and support, all aspects of recovery are manageable no matter the difficulty.
A powerful way to avoid relapse during early addiction recovery travel is to create a portable program before setting off. First, consider any what-if scenarios you might encounter. Make a plan for each. "What if a client offers me a drink? What if I get stressed out from air delays, traffic jams, family feuds, or otherwise and need a fix? What if an old ‘friend’ offers to get me high?" Whatever is relevant to your situation, consider it before your trip and make a plan to escape or overcome it. We learn to plan for the 'unguarded moment'. If you've already solved the problem in your head in simulation, it's much easier to respond when it really happens.Another tool for early addiction recovery travel is staying busy. The idle mind is the devil’s workshop but busy hands make steady minds. Be of service to others. If staying with family, insist on doing the dishes after meals. Walk the dog. If traveling for work, offer to drive. Get involved with a balance of healthy activities and interests. Many people in early recovery report anxiety and high energy. Channel it. Put it to good use. Don’t let it fester. And wherever you are, get up early and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Oversleeping and staying up late rarely helped a recovering addict stay focused.
In recovery you will learn that "you are no longer alone". Wherever you travel to, virtually anywhere in the world, including on most cruise ships, there are Twelve Step fellowship meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Check online for local meetings in the country or town you are visiting. And go. You will instantly feel 'at home', connected, and supported. You really are no longer alone. No matter where you go in the world, you can be supported. And if getting to a physical meeting is not possible, there are now a plethora of great online meetings.Combined with professional and effective addiction treatment programs, the tools above can empower and inspire addicts at all stages of recovery to get out and boldly discover all the joys that sobriety has to offer. With solid recovery and good support, early addiction recovery travel is possible. Want more recovery techniques? Find them here.Serenity Vista international private rehab will prepare you for early addiction recovery that is sustained and effects powerful real change. More than just sobriety; real life change. Reach out today and open yourself to complete life transformation!Signup for our inspirational newsletter, "Addiction to Recovery":
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