Addiction is a dangerous and often misunderstood disorder, often requiring attention as soon as possible in order to reduce any harmful and/or long-term effects. Addiction recovery – often referred to as rehabilitation – is the process in which an individual participates in different stages of care and treatment to overcome the effects of their addiction and work toward a sober lifestyle.
Depending on each specific individual, their addiction, and the effects of this, every individual’s experience of rehabilitation will be different, whether this concerns the duration of time in care, the treatments they partake in, and their ongoing recovery journey.
This article will focus on the importance of mental health during the addiction recovery process and how an individual can support themselves throughout this process.
Mental health in addiction recovery – why is it important?
Though many people may consider addiction recovery to be a purely physical process, there is usually a heavy focus on an individual’s mental health; addiction itself is considered to be a mental health issue and often co-occurs with many other conditions.
By treating an individual’s mental health during rehabilitation, it is more likely that the individual will have a more effective and efficient recovery journey while in addiction recovery (whether this is inpatient or outpatient care).
The following subheadings describe how mental health may be focussed on during the three recommended stages of addiction recovery.
1. Mental health in the detoxification stage
Generally, the detoxification stage is considered to be a physical recovery journey; the individual undergoes withdrawal and removes the substance(s) that they have been addicted to from their body.
However, maintaining a strong mental attitude toward the idea of achieving and maintaining sobriety is essential during an alcohol-home detox or in residential settings. Every individual undergoing a withdrawal should have the primary objective of fully detoxing from the addictive substance.
Studies have shown that when an individual scores highly on mental health scales such as those for depression, they are more likely to require additional detox sessions after relapse (1).
This is why it is always recommended for individuals to have supervision and direct support during this stage in order to preserve an individual’s mental health during this process, as well as to ensure that the individual has access to all the support that they need should they begin to experience more adverse effects.
2. Mental health in the therapy/treatment stage
This is the main stage of addiction recovery in which an individual will have a more focussed treatment programme to focus on their mental health.
Often, treatment programmes involving different therapies aim to uncover a root cause for an individual’s addiction, allowing them to ‘work backwards’ from the original causation and begin focussed therapy on different related issues.
Commonly used therapies include the following:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – flexible to a variety of different issues and requirements of therapy
- Motivational interviewing (MI) – helps individuals to focus on internal conflicts regarding specific behaviours i.e., substance use/abuse
- Group therapy – an opportunity for individuals to hear from experiences and share their own in order to further their understanding and learning concerning addiction
- Holistic therapies – include crossovers between therapy and activities that the individual may enjoy e.g., yoga, art, music, to support their therapy in an alternative environment
3. Mental health in the aftercare stage
Aftercare is the final recommended stage of addiction recovery and includes all further care that an individual may receive after they have completed their primary addiction recovery programme.
During this stage, it is common that individuals may continue attending therapy to address any ongoing issues as well as to ensure their ongoing focus, progress, and any other challenges that may arise in an individual’s sober lifestyle.
Studies have highlighted the importance of having accessible aftercare services (primarily mental health services) as an increase distance from these facilities can greatly impact an individual’s adherence to their aftercare programmes (2).
5 everyday habits to support mental health in addiction recovery
Now that the importance of mental health in addiction recovery has been further explored, how can it be helped?
There are many different ways in which an individual can boost their mental health, whether this is in their personal life, during rehab, or in any other situation.
The remainder of this article will cover 5 everyday habits that individuals can pick up in their routine to boost their mental health, benefitting their addiction recovery journey, as well as their mental wellbeing in general.
1. Take every day one by one
The first stage of rehabilitation – before detoxification – is often considered to be acceptance; an individual’s acceptance of their condition will allow them to see the need for further care.
However, it is important to note that addiction is never truly curable and some effects, depending on how long an individual has been struggling, can last for long periods of time.
This is why it is essential that individuals have reasonable expectations of rehabilitation, only expecting out of it what they are willing to put in. To achieve this, individuals should look at their progress in general rather than focussing on micro-steps and any ‘failures’ that they may perceive.
2. Include mindfulness practises
As another tip, individuals could start to incorporate mindfulness practises into their daily routine as a way of giving time back to themselves and to recognise their situation in regard to their surroundings.
Mindfulness is the practice of noticing what is around us but not reacting to it. This may mean being thankful for small actions, such as the feeling of breath in our lungs and the earth beneath our feet.
In many cases, mindfulness can often be combined with practices such as yoga and meditation – two great ways to control breath and take a moment to process one’s surroundings and feelings.
3. Socialisation
The worst thing an individual can do when they struggle with issues such as addiction is to isolate themselves.
By isolating oneself, we are blocked off from the many sources of support that we all have access to. Whether this means friends or family, or even accessing social services and group activities, isolation and addiction do not go hand in hand.
To improve mental health, an individual could join a number of different social groups such as hobby-based groups, coffee mornings, or any other social activities.
4. New hobbies/activities
Following on from the point above, picking up a new hobby or activity is a great way to fill time that may have previously been taken up by addictive behaviours and/or behaviours that are related to this.
Examples of these hobbies include:
- Sport-based
- Craft-based
- Socialisation
- Self-improvement
- Learning new skills/qualifications
5. Self-care
As a final example, all individuals are entitled to self-care. This means something different for everyone.
Some individuals may take a bath, spend time outdoors, treat themselves to something they like, or partake in any other activity that is just for the sake of it and at the expense of the individual’s personal enjoyment.
Getting help in and starting addiction recovery today
To start your addiction recovery journey today or to help someone you know to seek help with addiction, speak to your local health services or addiction referral service to get the advice and support needed today.
References
[1] Shanahan, C.W., Lincoln, A., Horton, N.J., Saitz, R., Winter, M. and Samet, J.H., 2005. Relationship of depressive symptoms and mental health functioning to repeat detoxification. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 29(2), pp.117-123.
[2] Schmitt, S.K., Phibbs, C.S. and Piette, J.D., 2003. The influence of distance on utilization of outpatient mental health aftercare following inpatient substance abuse treatment. Addictive behaviors, 28(6), pp.1183-1192.
Also read: How to Find Addiction and Mental Health Support in NM [Complete Guide]
