Back to Blog Posts
2020 has been a long, rough year for everyone. To protect your health and others, many of us are staying at home and social distancing. Some people have had to work from home, entertain themselves, and avoid those at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. In these times, millions of people around the world are more susceptible to substance use. Those who are in recovery might be having an even harder time. People who are in recovery who live alone may see this year's adaptation to COVID-19 as a significant struggle. To maintain recovery, you must be creative with your actions to help prevent relapse.
Staying Connected
While isolated from others due to social distancing, you may be struggling with thoughts of returning to substance use. At this time, staying connected with your support system is crucial. Before recovery, you might have been using substances alone or around others who are not conducive to your new lifestyle. In recovery, you probably have surrounded yourself with people who support your sober life.
COVID-19 has many people stuck in their homes or avoiding places where large amounts of people meet. This can make it challenging to attend support groups or hang out with people like you typically do. However, you can commit to staying connected through phone calls, text messages, Zoom, or FaceTime. By staying connected, you can fight off the isolation that can lead to relapse.
Embrace the Virtual World
The technology we have today allows for various ways to stay connected with friends and loved ones. Technology gives you the opportunity for people to hold you accountable no matter where you are. Things like Zoom, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat are great for keeping in touch with everyone you know. Try not to spend copious amounts of time on social media as it could potentially make cravings worse seeing people cope with isolation through drinking or using substances.
Find Healthy Distractions
Distractions don't have to be bad, especially when they distract you from doing something harmful to your body. While you're stuck in the house, there are many things for you to do that can be healthy for the brain. For starters, apps like Pinterest can be the perfect guide to unorthodox fun. It can provide arts and craft ideas, homemade board games, and home décor ideas. Creating a comfortable space can be relaxing for people who will be spending a lot of time at home. You can even find recipes for different ways to cook new meals or even the ones you have had before.
Depending on your circumstances and who you can communicate with, you may also have the opportunity to play the game “table conversations.” This game is a deck of cards that come with questions that require extensive answers that will help you get to know your friends and family a little better.
Set Goals
After hearing suggestions on diets, exercise plans, crafts, and cooking, you are probably wondering about an end goal. This is the perfect time to start setting your own goals. Whether that’s making it to a certain weight, learning a certain amount of recipes, or even one large project. For example, you can buy a large shelf or desk that your home needs, and that takes a long time to build, and then get to it! This can be a lesson on what it takes to start something and finish it, teaching you the perseverance you need to make it through recovery.
Learn Something New
This is the perfect opportunity to occupy your time with learning. You are never too old or accomplished to start learning something new. There is a vast spectrum of knowledge. You can take it all the way and go back to college, or you can keep it as simple as a YouTube video. You can learn how to change oil, coding, plumbing, how to change a tire, or how to survive a shark attack. There are thousands, maybe millions of things you can learn how to do and fill your time.
Love on Yourself
Taking care of yourself and rewarding yourself allows you to look forward to things. Treating yourself will further motivate you, and this behavior can carry over into creating healthy habits. Taking care of yourself is for men and women. If you want to take a nice bath and eat some chocolate, you can do it no matter who you are. Have an in-depth conversation with your friends, eat your favorite chips or favorite fruit. Anything that simply makes you feel good. Take the time to treat yourself without judgment.
COVID-19 has altered many lives, but after being nine months deep into a pandemic, it’s time to start making sure you are taking care of yourself. There are plenty of options to keep you distracted from returning to substance use or other negative behaviors. Find what works for you. One thing that everyone should do regardless of what you choose is to love yourself. Reach out to family and friends and have a good time in the safety of your home. Let the people in your life enjoy you and enjoy them. Make sure that you are enjoying yourself. The better relationship you have with yourself, the more you realize that you need to take care of your body. In these challenging times, it’s easy to fall into the trap of relapsing. If you or a loved one struggles with thoughts of returning to substance use or have relapsed, contact START UP RECOVERY today at (310) 773-3809.