There is a reason that people call addiction a “family disease.” It does not just affect the individual, but negatively affects everyone around them. As they say in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (most commonly referred to as the “Big Book”), “The alcoholic [or one addicted to substances] is like a tornado roaring his way through the lives of others. Hearts are broken… Selfish and inconsiderate habits have kept the home in turmoil.” This type of tumult takes time to recover from, which is why practicing self-care while your loved one is in treatment is so important.
What Exactly Is Self-Care?
Self-care can mean a lot of things. Perhaps the best way to think about self-care is how one takes care of themselves mind, body, and soul. This means taking care of your physical, emotional, and spiritual self. Now, this is especially important after being affected by a loved one’s addiction.
Self-care does not have to look a certain way. In fact, self-care should look different for each individual (hence, “self”). However, when it comes to practicing self-care while your loved one is in treatment, it is important to include self-care that involves healing from the effects of their addiction.
What Does Practicing Self-Care Look Like?
Self-care can be broken down into many parts, but breaking it down into the three previously mentioned may make it the most manageable. Starting with physical self-care, it is important to take care of one’s body as part of a self-care routine. Many people don’t realize that the body holds a lot of the stress one experiences in their life. You can benefit by dealing with that stress via low-impact exercise like yoga, getting plenty of sleep, and eating foods that have the right essential nutrients.
It is also important to take care of yourself emotionally. This is especially true for those who have had their emotions negatively affected over and over again by a loved one’s addiction. Emotional self-care can take the form of therapy, individually, in a group, or as a family. Doing this can help you start to see that you are at no fault for a loved one’s choices and behaviors. By letting others make their own choices, even though it may be hard, you can protect your own sense of peace.
Many people also make a spiritual practice part of their self-care routine. Now, many people confuse spirituality with religion, but the two do not have to be one and the same. A spiritual practice can be wholly individualized, and as long as it is a practice that protects your peace, especially in the face of a loved one’s addiction, then it is the right one for you.
The Importance of Practicing Self-Care While Your Loved One Is in Treatment
It is important to practice self-care while a loved one is in treatment, because when they get home, there may be a rush of new activities that you want to be prepared for. Also, many people who come home from treatment will have their own set of self-care routines established, so it can be helpful to be ready to meet them where they are at.
The reality is that there is much more time and peace to practice self-care while a loved one is in treatment, so it should be taken advantage of. Plus, this focus on self-care can also create an environment that makes it much safer for an individual to come home to after treatment, and a safe space can be pivotal in helping a loved one avoid a relapse.
Practicing self-care while a loved one is in treatment also allows more space for oneself to connect to others who have similar experiences. While it may seem counterintuitive, a big part of self-care is connecting to others who are both healthy and helpful. For family members struggling with a loved one’s addiction, this connection may come from recovery support groups such as Al-Anon or Alateen. When a loved one is in treatment, it allows for more time to cultivate these healthy relationships, which can be crucial if any negative issues arise after treatment.
Why We Care for the Whole Family at Lantana Recovery
Yes, addiction is a family disease, and thus it truly needs a “family solution.” Here at Lantana Recovery, we offer that solution. Our goal is not just to heal the individual who is struggling but to heal everyone who has been affected. This is how long-term recovery can truly be achieved.
At Lantana Recovery, we know that everyone must be involved if everyone is going to get the benefits of recovery, which are peace, serenity, and progress. We must always remember that, while it may just be one person in recovery, this must be a We way of life, never a Me way of life.
Self-care is vitally important for individuals who have loved ones away in treatment. It can be a trying time, to say the least. However, there are many opportunities for self-care that can be utilized such as going to individual and family therapy/counseling sessions, creating boundaries, and attending support group meetings such as Al-Anon and Alateen. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery. For more information about the importance of emotional, physical, and spiritual self-care while a loved one is away in treatment, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.
