Man feeling freedom on open sea
Recovery is difficult to manage and may be one of life’s biggest challenges. Developing resiliency is key to making your recovery sustainable. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), resiliency is paramount to facing the challenges of recovery. Building resiliency takes time and a steady application of the tools you learned in treatment at The Guest House.
At The Guest House, we helped you learn various coping strategies through our treatment methods. We wanted to ensure you could recover in a manner consistent with your values and your story. Now, as you tackle recovery beyond our four walls, we invite you to consider what will most support you in your recovery.
4 Major Dimensions of Recovery
SAMHSA identifies four major dimensions of recovery and explains how these four dimensions are critical to developing resilience. These four dimensions are health, home, purpose, and community. Each of these four dimensions plays an essential role in your recovery.
#1. Health
Your health is essential to your recovery. Making wise decisions regarding your health will help ensure your recovery and make it more sustainable. Having a set schedule will help set you up for success. At The Guest House, we encouraged you to exercise and eat healthy, organic meals to rebuild your health while receiving treatment.
As you continue your recovery at home, making good decisions about what you put in your body is just as important. You want movement and nutritious foods to be cornerstones for creating your new life in recovery. You cannot expect to battle against imbalance without having the essentials for your health.
#2. Home
When you leave The Guest House, you will return home, but not as you left it because now you are in recovery and have a new lease on life. Your recovery means your home life will be different now. So, with that in mind, take the time to consider your home and how it can best support you, whether living arrangements or even furniture arrangements. Sometimes, there can be triggers in your home that just have to do with placement.
You may even want to examine if you still feel at home where you live and adjust situations accordingly. You may not need to move, but just adjust how you do things in your home. No matter what, you want your home life to support your recovery and be a safe space to escape from life’s pressures.
#3. Purpose
Having a purpose is essential to your recovery. Having a reason to keep going and maintain recovery will only enrich your life. The first step to developing purpose is recognizing that there is a reason for your existence. Believing you are in the world for a reason will bolster your recovery and help you identify parts of your life to build upon.
Building up your life may involve finding a rewarding career, volunteering, or spending more time with your family. The key thing to remember as you push into recovery is that you have a purpose, and there is a reason for your existence.
#4. Community
Your recovery occurs best in a community of like-minded individuals. As you pursue recovery, you must recognize your need to have support in all aspects of your life. When you begin seeking your community, consider asking for help and guidance from the Alumni Program at The Guest House. We can help you identify community resources and assist you as you develop plans to re-enter your community.
You want to establish relationships in your community that foster your sense of independence, connectedness, and friendship. Including friendship in your life will encourage love and appreciation not only for others but also for yourself.
The Foundation of Recovery Is Hope
Hope is believing in the possibility of recovery and that you can overcome the challenges you will face in life and recovery. Your hope is the foundation of your recovery. There are multiple guiding principles to your recovery, but hope is the most critical. Your recovery must be person-centered and focused on your needs, not the needs of others.
In order to maintain your hope and purpose, your recovery has to be centered on your wants and needs. While sharing your wants and needs can be difficult, that process is critical to your success in recovery. Not only does sharing your wants and needs bolster your recovery, but it helps others in their recovery and supports them.
Emily Dickinson wrote a poem about hope, titled “Hope is the thing with feathers,” and compared hope to a songbird that keeps singing in your soul. This is the essence of hope. Your hope must keep singing within you as you pursue recovery. This song will ensure a sustainable recovery and help you maintain your purpose.
Building resiliency is essential to sustaining your recovery. Your recovery requires multiple elements, but purpose and hope are vital to developing your resilience. If you are struggling with the effects of trauma, a mental health diagnosis, or addiction to alcohol, drugs, or unhealthy behaviors, you are not alone. Help is just a phone call away. Reach out to us at The Guest House and develop the resilience you need to thrive in today’s world. At The Guest House, we believe in your ability to overcome all circumstances, and we want to help you develop the skills and strategies to live your best life. If you or someone you know is struggling in recovery from trauma, mental health diagnoses, or addiction, reach out to The Guest House at (855) 483-7800 and learn how we can help you in recovery. We are only a phone call away.