By Julie Stinson

Taking care of mental health is vital for every person. However, it becomes more important than ever when you're at the beginning of your recovery process. Starting your recovery journey and winning the battle against addiction is challenging and demanding. But the battle doesn't end once you leave a rehab center. On the contrary, people in recovery often have to face new challenges in life - from depression and anxiety to potential relapses. Integrating back into the world is not easy. Thus, you must take proper care of yourself and your mental health. Luckily, there are many ways to improve the quality of your life and lead a healthy, positive lifestyle. So, without further ado, here are some excellent tips on how to look after your mental health and continue to grow as a person!

What is mental health, and how is it connected with other areas in our lives?

Mental health is a state of mind that includes our psychological and emotional well-being. In addition to that, other factors can have either positive or negative impacts on our mental health. For example, being physically active helps us to feel energetic and motivated. It improves our mood and helps us build a positive outlook on life.

The same goes for other healthy habits. Not only do they enable us to create meaningful routines, but they also improve our physical and mental well-being. 

Also, there is a social component. Having supportive and caring people around you is crucial for our mental health in recovery. Family and friends help us process our emotions and build meaningful, healthy relationships.

As you may see, there are many various aspects of our mental health. They often overlap, and improving in one area helps us improve in others. With that in mind, we've created this list of concrete steps and activities that will help you look after your mental health.

Continue with practices you've learned during rehab

Although all we've mentioned above may sound overwhelming, you need to remember something important - you have succeeded. It wasn't easy to deal with your addiction, but you were determined, and you made it! Now, you need to continue. To maintain your recovery, you must keep using the coping methods you learned during the treatment and practicing self-care.

Go to counseling regularly

Don't neglect the counseling. Having ups and downs is perfectly normal in recovery, so don't hesitate to ask for and accept help. Counseling can help you recognize the hurdles on your way, process your emotions, and overcome difficulties.

Stay part of the recovery community

Also, staying involved and engaged in your recovery community is an excellent way to look after your mental health. After all, this community consists of people who've been through similar experiences. They'll understand how you feel, and you can help and support each other on the path of recovery.

Cut ties with negative aspects of your life

Going back to the real world after rehab can be especially challenging for people in recovery. There might be persons or places that harm you. Distancing yourself from them enables you to start fresh and focus on rebuilding your life in a healthy, positive way.

Exercise

While exercise will help you improve your physical well-being, it has many other benefits, too. Even short physical activity can make a tremendous change in how we feel and react to our surroundings. But regular physical exercise is even more beneficial. It helps you fight depression, boosts your self-esteem, improves mood, and increases energy levels.

Improve your diet

Developing healthy eating habits is an excellent way to take care of yourself in recovery. After all, you already have the will and determination to resist harmful temptations, and diet is a great place to start! Include more fruit and veggies in your diet, eat healthy fats such as fish and nuts, and continue from there. Also, don't forget to drink enough water!

Have enough sleep

A good night's sleep is essential for us to rest and relax. At the same time, lack of sleep negatively affects our physical and mental health. So, ensure you have healthy 7-9 hours of sleep every night!

Socialize

Family plays a vital role in recovery, and the same goes for your friends. Their love and support can help you get through difficult times. You can also open up to them and share how you feel. So, spend some quality time with your loved ones and plan some fun activities you can do together.

Pursue your hobbies or learn a new skill

Hobbies are an excellent way to relax and do something you enjoy simultaneously. They'll keep the stress and boredom at bay while improving your self-esteem and providing a creative outlet. Plus, you might meet some new friends and expand your social circle.

Take control of your life

The start of the recovery process can be incredibly challenging. You need to rebuild your life and take back control of your life. Although it will be difficult at first, it will be highly beneficial in the long run. Here are some ways to do it:

• tackle your finances
• organize your home - clutter-free home will improve your focus and motivation
• create routines - healthy and stable patterns will give you the strength you need

Discuss your feelings

Keeping your emotions and feelings bottled up can only lead to more significant issues down the road. Instead, share how you feel with others. That will help you reframe how you feel and look at things from a new perspective. We all experience problems and have ups and downs, but it's essential not to focus on the negative side of things.

Keep a journal

A journal enables you to self-reflect and track progress. What's more, you can use it to set goals and write about how you feel and what you're going through. It's a valuable tool that enables you to assess your situation and change your lifestyle for the better.

Be kind to yourself

Lastly, don't be too harsh on yourself. What you've been through and are dealing with is not easy. So don't hesitate to take a step back, breathe deeply, and give yourself a break. It's crucial to practice mindfulness and forgiveness. After all, learning to accept and love yourself is the best way to look after your mental health in recovery.

By Julie Stinson