Find out why structure is important in recovery and what you can do to maintain structure in your life.
For those who have succeeded completing their addiction treatment or rehab program, you know that this is only the beginning. Once you step into the “real world” and go back to your families and your life, you will be confronted with a barrage of triggers and stresses at all fronts. While the return to “freedom” can be exhilarating, it can also be filled with dread and uncertainty.
One of the biggest challenges now in your recovery is not only in maintaining sobriety, but also avoiding relapse triggers. One of the most important things in relapse prevention is keeping a routine. This is a structured daily programme, a real-life equivalent to your structured and sheltered life in your treatment facility.
Establishing Structure through Routine
Having a consistent routine daily can help you reduce the possibility of relapsing. Developing your daily activities and making a schedule and followed structure out of them can give your life a sense of stability and comfort.
This is especially true for those who have just gotten out of rehab. Having a sense of comfort from doing something you’ve always been doing can give you relief and peace.
This is why many people often relapse whenever there are special occasions, holidays, or if something out of the ordinary happens. They are shaken out of their comfort zone and they don’t know how to cope with these unexpected events. During early recovery, it is always a good idea to have routine to stick to so that you have less chances of being led astray or losing focus.
Routine Provides Purpose
Another benefit of creating structure or routine through your daily life in recovery is that it gives you a sense of purpose. Knowing what to do as each day comes, what to expect, what to prepare for, can allow you to feel a sense of being in control, which can help lessen anxiety and other negative feelings.
At the end of the day, upon reflection and review, knowing that you have stuck to your schedule and kept your routine could provide you a great deal of confidence and fulfillment.
In the long run, your routine will feel like second nature to you, so it’s best to establish healthy and positive ones.
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