Once you get discharged from addiction treatment, you will begin putting the things you learned to work in earnest. At first, it might feel foreign to navigate the world without the crutch of substance use holding you back, but you will soon realize how much better you feel in every aspect of your life. However, there are some potential pitfalls you’ll need to be aware of, so you can be sure to avoid them.

1. Suppressed Emotions

After years of using drugs and alcohol as an unhealthy way to bury unpleasant emotions, you might be caught off-guard when new and challenging feelings crop up during recovery. Ups and downs are a normal part of the sobriety journey that you’ll need to be mentally prepared for. If you are feeling guilt, shame and pain when you think about your past behavior, learning to make peace with yourself is essential.

2. Boredom

Though the cycle of substance abuse is self-destructive, it provides a rhythm to your life. As the addiction takes over, it takes paramount importance over other priorities and responsibilities. Being in a drug rehab program will give you a new sense of structure, with set times to attend group meetings, eat meals and participate in fitness classes.

Once you are outside the treatment environment, however, you will likely find yourself with hours of free time to fill. One way to avoid this problem is to discover new hobbies, such as painting, woodworking or learning something new. Another thing to consider is enrolling in an extended-care program that provides some of the same accountability as rehab, while serving as a transition between the treatment environment and the stresses of the real world.

3. The Need for Healthy Coping Strategies

In addiction treatment, your counselors will teach you how to confront your challenges head-on, without relying on substances. If your impulse used to be to reach for drugs or a drink as an outlet for stress and anxiety, you will now have to use more constructive behaviors such as meditation and yoga as part of a healthy lifestyle that supports your sobriety goals. A therapist can help you identify new coping strategies that are specific to what you’re facing in life.

4. Relationship Issues

It’s likely your addiction damaged many of your relationships. Perhaps you routinely lied to your spouse about how you were spending your time, or you stole money from a friend or family member to buy more drugs. Now that you are sober, you’ll need to work on salvaging the relationships that are important to your life. You may also need to cut ties with old drug and drinking buddies who now represent a dangerous relapse trigger for you. In that case, making new friends who support your recovery goals can be instrumental in your journey.

Your Health Is Worth It

At Canyon Crossing, we provide a full complement of women’s-only treatment programs that help address the unique challenges facing women in addiction recovery. Though sobriety is a lifelong process, reclaiming your well-being is worth the time you put into it. For more information about our amenities and philosophy, contact us today.