Last Updated on July 5, 2023 by Emma White
When it comes to taking care of your mental health, you can’t only rely on treatment. You have to focus on taking care of yourself as well. Self-care is an important part of one’s recovery process, whether it’s overcoming addiction or recovering from a mental health disorder. Self-care can help to maintain a positive attitude, keep the body healthy, and can be a good habit to carry with you once you’re already on the road to recovery. But what exactly is self-care?
What Is Self-Care?
Even after you’ve checked out of a detox facility, you’ll self-care with you. Many people imagine self-care as staying in bed, going to a spa, or having a movie night with friends. However, these aren’t the only ways you can practice self-care. It is any act or habit that is beneficial to your overall health in the long term. It could be exercising, cleaning, taking care of bills, or just going for a walk. It doesn’t look the same for everyone who’s going through recovery and can be a struggle for some people to do.
Ways To Practice Self-Care
The best kind of self-care is the one that takes care of three main categories: mind, body, and spirit. People going through detox can struggle to find ways to take care of themselves as well as certain aspects of their lives. Self-care can do that for them, as well as developing a good habit that can replace their addiction. Taking care of the mind, body, and spirit can help to increase both mood and motivation and can make the road to recovery just a little bit smoother.
Finding Self-Care For The Body
Substance abuse can take a toll on one’s physical health, so it’s important to look for ways to keep your body strong and resilient. Self-care for the body can include:
- Getting enough sleep at night
- Spending some time outdoors
- Going to the doctor when one feels ill
- Developing a skincare routine
- Exercising regularly
- Eating a balanced diet
It can also include smaller acts such as getting a haircut, painting your nails, or soaking in a hot bath.
Self-Care For The Mind
Recovery puts a strain on one’s mental health and it can feel like an uphill battle the entire time. Some ways you can take care of it include:
- Spending time with loved ones
- Cleaning your home
- Journaling
- Taking up a new hobby
- Leaning a new school
This can be challenging to do at times since it can feel unnatural at first. Self-care sometimes involves being uncomfortable in the short term so that you can grow and improve in the future.
Self-Care For The Spirit
Addiction has a way of making a person feel like they’re no longer in control of their life. You can take care of and nourish your spirit to maintain your drive to recover and can include:
- Meditation
- Spending time alone with your thoughts
- Disconnecting from social media
- Spending time in nature
This kind of self-care can also be challenging, as it forces you to face some uncomfortable truths.
Recovery is not an easy road but self-care can definitely remove some of the load and stress that comes with it. Remember that you need time to heal, and you can’t do that if you’re not nourishing your mind and body to help them do so.
