2020 through 2021 has been a difficult time for most everyone. However, the pandemic has been especially challenging for those battling addiction during COVID. The increased levels of stress, fears for the health and well-being of yourself and your family members, heightened anxiety, quarantine measures, and the sheer volume of emotions experienced since the spring of 2020 have made addiction recovery and COVID awfully strange bedfellows. Thankfully, there is help available to navigate the complicated days that may still lie ahead of us. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction recovery and COVID, relapse prevention programs can provide the support that you need. Reach out to the compassionate and highly skilled medical professionals at Avedis Recovery by contacting us online or call 833.514.0579 today.
Make A Plan For Managing Your Addiction During COVID
Vaccines are rolling out, restrictions are loosening, and mask mandates are being dropped across the country. However, there could still be several hurdles to clear in your addiction recovery and COVID response. In order to continue successfully overcoming your addiction during COVID, it may be helpful to make a plan for how you will manage both on a day-to-day basis.
Stay Connected
It takes a village to recover from an addiction. Even if you are not yet able to hug, hold and see your support network in person yet, it is critical that you stay connected to the family, friends, and peer group who love you, understand your addiction recovery, and who are supportive of your new, happier and healthier life. Some of the ways you can stay connected to your circle of supportive people include:
- Having socially distanced, outdoor meetups
- Scheduling Zoom calls to see, smile, and laugh together
- Check in via text regularly
- Plan future dinners, vacations, and meetups to keep you excited about the positive future of your addiction recovery and COVID restrictions continuing to ease
No matter how you stay connected while also staying safe from COVID, you mustn’t isolate yourself without communicating with the people who love you and want to see you enjoy a lifetime of recovery.
Stick To A Routine
The discipline of a daily routine can be essential to avoiding addiction and relapse during COVID. As you cope with addiction recovery and COVID’s lingering presence in the world, organize your day to day life into manageable tasks that you do on repeat, including:
- Set your alarm to wake up at the same time every day
- Get some physical movement or exercise in the morning
- Enjoy some fresh air outside
- Have a healthy breakfast
- Take a shower or bath
- Read or listen to music/podcasts
- Drink a lot of water throughout the day
- Make a menu plan for a nutritious lunch and dinner
- Reach out to friends and family
- Relax by doing yoga or practicing meditation
- Write in a journal
- Unwind with a TV show or movie (try having a Netflix or Hulu party to watch together with friends and family)
- Get to bed at a reasonable time
- Enjoy a good night of sleep
This kind of daily checklist of activities can give your life structure. A solid, repeatable routine can keep boredom away which in turn may aid in preventing a relapse. By sticking to a plan every single day you are more likely to stay on the straight and narrow, especially while still dealing with the anxiety of COVID.
Start a New Project or Hobby
Another way to avoid boredom is to throw yourself into a new project or hobby. Do you like birds? Borrow a birdwatching book from the library and head out to the park every day to see how many different species you can spot! Start learning how to shoot and edit photographs with your phone or begin to bake bread, do puzzles, make a scrapbook, or write poetry. Starting a new project or hobby is a great way to keep you focused on positive thoughts and pursuits as you manage your addiction recovery and COVID times.
Learn More at Avedis Recovery in Los Angeles
If we learned anything during the pandemic, it is that prolonged isolation is not a sustainable way forward. Remember that you are not alone on this journey! Contact us using our secure online form or call us confidentially at 833.514.0579 today and get the help you need with addiction recovery and COVID today.
