Many people fret or even avoid reaching out for help or connecting with a recovery center because they are afraid they are going to upset or upend the life they already have. They worry about what is going to happen to their home, work, and social lives while they are away. What will balancing recovery with everyday life be like? They also worry about whether they will become a different person. The truth is that these are reasonable, healthy, and common concerns.
However, the truth is also that, for those of us that struggle with addiction, our home, work, and social lives are more in jeopardy if we don’t seek help than if we do. Also, regarding being a different person leaving than going into treatment. That one is true. With healthy recovery, we change, but only for the better.
So, What Happens After the Recovery Center?
There is a saying often heard in 12-Step recovery meetings that goes, “We must live life on life’s terms.” This means that just because we are in recovery from the devastating disease that is addiction, it doesn’t mean that life will magically become problem-free. The good news is that we are capable of taking on and managing these problems rather than running from them or, perhaps even worse, drinking or using substances to pretend they don’t exist.
More good news is that a responsible recovery center is going to prepare us to meet these difficulties head-on and maintain a healthy attitude while doing so. Also, it should be noted that recovery also allows us to recognize all the wonderful blessings that we have in our lives, such as a healthy and happy home, work, and social life. A good treatment plan also shows us how balancing recovery with responsibilities, especially work responsibilities, is possible. Actually, it will most likely be significantly easier than when we were in active addiction.
The Importance of a Smooth Transition From Treatment Back Into Day-to-Day Life
A big part of balancing recovery after treatment and living “life on life’s terms” is beginning the transition while still in the recovery center. This means engaging with the local recovery community and getting to know other people that we can rely on when times get challenging. Doing this sooner than later allows those bonds to be that much stronger when we are back out into the “real” world.
It is also important not to rush the recovery process. Recovery takes time, and it is often best accomplished transitionally. That means that if we have the option to stay in residential recovery for 90 days rather than 28, we should consider it. If the option to transition from a residential or partial hospitalization program (PHP) is available, we should take advantage. Also, sober living facilities are great options to comfortably transition back into everyday life. Recovery is also about healing, and the more healing that can happen upfront, the better.
It is also important to be honest with work about what is going on with your recovery. More than likely, they will be supportive of you taking advantage of the opportunity to get well. There is a chapter in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (most commonly referred to as “the Big Book”) entitled “To Employers.” The chapter is like a guide on how employers may engage with employees struggling with addiction. While it may be too presumptuous to offer this to our boss, reading it ourselves can give us insight into how we must be upfront and honest if we are to have any chance of balancing recovery and our work responsibilities.
Balancing Recovery With Work Responsibilities: Aftercare in Recovery
While it may feel a bit strange at first, balancing recovery and our work lives often become like second nature relatively quickly. The key is to stick to a recovery plan first and foremost. Again, to reference the incredible wealth of maxims that 12-Step recovery has to offer, there is a saying that goes, “Anything we put above our recovery, we are going to lose.” That means that recovery must remain front and center, even when issues of work present themselves.
What this means is that it is critical to stay connected to what was advised when we first left the recovery center. If we are engaged in therapy or psychotherapy, we should continue the process. Also, if we are part of a recovery community, we should remain active within it. An example of this may be doing service work with a 12-Step group, volunteering at a sober community center, or participating more in the process of a Dharma recovery program. Ultimately, it is balancing recovery with work responsibilities, not balancing work responsibilities with recovery. Our health and well-being should always come first.
In It for the Long Haul: Lantana Recovery Will Be Here for You When You Need It
It is also important to stay connected to the recovery center after completing treatment. A responsible and reputable recovery center will be available to help when times get tough, whether it be with work responsibilities or any other curveball that life tends to throw at us.
Here at Lantana Recovery, we make sure that our clients always come first, not just while in our care but also after, when they are navigating life in recovery. The recovery journey is meant to be a long and healthy one, and we are not only there to make sure it starts that way, but we are also there to make sure it remains that way.
Many people that conclude their recovery journey in residential treatment are left wondering what the next step is and how they will manage their recovery with their day-to-day responsibilities. This is especially true with work responsibilities. The good news is at Lantana Recovery, we ensure that all of our clients have a game plan for when they reenter and reengage with their everyday lives. This includes connecting with the local recovery communities (such as 12-Step meetings). Aftercare is critical to recovery, so we here at Lanatana Recovery make ourselves available to our clients long after they leave our recovery center’s doors. For more information on integrating back into work-life while now in recovery, contact Lantana Recovery at (866) 997-2870.
