What Is Recovery Coaching?

Tips for Staying Free From Addiction

Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process that requires commitment, self-awareness, and the right support to navigate life’s challenges. Tough moments might be your first birthday without alcohol, weddings, general socialising with friends, or even Christmas.  

There are many tools and techniques to help you to protect the recovery you have fought hard to achieve. Here we have outlined some that we know to be helpful.  

Attend 12-Step Meetings

Exploring 12-step meetings near your home is an excellent way of meeting like-minded individuals who are on the same journey of recovery as you. During meetings you can share your thoughts and feelings and connect with people who you can call should you feel triggered. There are 12-step meetings for all kinds of addictions and behavioural health concerns.  

Have a Plan For Your Day

Structure is so important in the early days of recovery and having a plan for your day can create a sense of purpose and help with avoiding vulnerable moments and falling into negative thinking. Your day might include morning meditation, attending 12-step meetings, mealtimes, working, exercising, seeing friends, and constructive rest such as naps, reading, or watching a film.  

Meditation

Meditation can be a helpful tool, whether as part of a regular practice or to use in the moment when craving your drug of choice. Many feel they are “not very good at meditation” which stops them from even trying, but there is no wrong way to meditate. The most effective type of meditation is the one you feel you can practice regularly and readily. Meditation can help you to concentrate your mind on the present moment and bodily sensations, rather than unhelpful thoughts. Employing a meditation practice, such as 5 mins of concentrating on your breath, may mean the difference between reacting irrationally or responding in a measured way that serves your addiction recovery.   

Exercise

Exercise is not only good for our bodies but our mental wellbeing and provides an opportunity to release emotions. As such, physical exercise is often a component of addiction treatment programmes. According to the physical activity guidelines for adults from the UK Chief Medical Officers, adults in England should aim to take part in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more. 

Know Your Triggers

Despite knowing that acting out addictively won’t help you respond to life’s stressors in a measured way, addiction cravings may still be triggered at times of stress. It is important to understand your triggers which might be people from your past, family members, significant places, work stress, social media, and many others. It can feel like everything is a trigger in early recovery. But planning and getting support in navigating potentially triggering situations can help prevent relapse. 

Limit Time Using Social Media

The effects of social media on mental health are well documented. It can be highly addictive. Comparing ourselves to others is a common cause of anxiety and low self-worth. Social media only compounds these feelings as it presents the very best of people’s lives in an often dishonest or unrealistic way. Whilst you are working on your self-esteem and sense of who you are, you might find it helpful to avoid social media.  

Have Sober Fun

Recovery is a journey of self-discovery and learning how to have fun without the use of alcohol or drugs is important. At first this might seem daunting. Perhaps start by hanging out with other sober people for coffee after 12-step meetings. Think about a restaurant you want to try or dish you might like to cook. Perhaps consider doing something completely different and frivolous. If you are into the arts, is there an exhibition or movie you would like to visit/see? Make a plan and ask a friend to join  you.  

Work With a Recovery Coach

A recovery coach’s job is to support you in early recovery and help you achieve your goals. A recovery coach can provide you with the tools and guidance needed to sustain your abstinence or sobriety. This can include helping to plan your day, suggesting resources, providing accountability and support, offering guidance, feedback and new perspectives, and supporting you through triggering situations and cravings.  

A Supportive Community

It might be that your friendship circle includes people who are misusing substances, don’t support your recovery, or affect your self-esteem. In early recovery, it is important to have loving and supportive people around you who understand what you are going through, support your sobriety, and with whom you feel you can be yourself however you might be feeling on any given day. These might be new friends you meet at meetings, family members who aren’t challenging, or existing friends who inspire you. 

One day at a time 

Keep your head where your feet are. Adopting an attitude of focusing on the day you are living, rather than trying to tackle all your problems at once, can help calm and focus your mind. You can do anything for one day. Focusing too much on the future and what might go wrong can cause anxiety and depression which may lead to relapse.