Three Main Ways to Practice Self-Care in Recovery

Take Care of Your Body

One way to take care of your body is to remain mindful daily. Be aware of what is going on with your body. That includes what you’re eating and drinking and how restful you slept the night before.

Another way to take care of your body is to be responsive to its needs. Hunger is a need. Thirst is a need. If you’re hurt, medical attention is a need. Your responsiveness to these needs is important. Delaying them or depriving yourself of them is a sign of poor self-care.

Take Care of Your Mind

An important first step in taking care of your mind in recovery is making sure you get a proper diagnosis during treatment for a substance use disorder. Dual diagnosis treatment can be a significant factor in helping someone understand what underlying condition has affected their drinking or drug use.

Once aware of it, they can learn how to create healthy behaviors as a replacement to the self-destructive coping mechanisms of substance misuse.

Take Care of Your Spirit

Spiritual self-care is just as important as the first two categories. Taking care of your spirit is a part of the recovery journey that needs daily practice. It can come as early as the beginning of a treatment program, and it’s something you can learn to sustain on your own.

Learning to reach this part of yourself through daily activities strengthens your recovery work. It’s part of building a foundation of personal growth that can sustain you through challenging times and setbacks to your sobriety. The activities can be something you do solo or within a group.