Why a Structured Routine Can Help You Through Addiction Recovery

Introducing a new routine can add structure to your life and also prevent you from slipping back into old, bad habits that led to alcohol or drug abuse.

Establishing a new routine is one of the best ways to ensure that you stay on the path to recovery. This new routine can add structure to your life, help you take care of important tasks on a day-to-day basis and also prevent you from slipping back into old, bad habits that led to alcohol or drug abuse.

To help you learn more about why new routines are so crucial during addiction treatment for drugs or alcohol, here are some of the ways in which they help you recover:

Reduce Anxiety and Unpredictability

While substance abuse can really start at any point, a huge factor in psychological addiction comes from reverting to substance use during periods of uncertainty or boredom. The easiest example is that someone wakes up on a day they do not have to work, they begin watching TV and they decide to consume drugs since they cannot determine what else they want to do with their day.

This pattern of behavior instantly obliterates any chance of productivity for that day and creates unhealthy routines. By having an alternative routine that involves doing things that are healthy for the body, mind and spirit, the temptation to abuse drugs or alcohol is partially avoided.

In fact, professionals like psychologist Jennifer Fee have noticed a direct correlation between boredom and anxiety. “When there's not a lot going on, [...]there is room to focus on thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations that get the vicious cycle [of anxiety] moving,” she claims. This type of anxiety can be triggered by a structure-less environment, whereas having a set purpose can prevent feelings of anxiety that may lead to drug or Alcohol abuse Seattle wa.

Create Internal Support for Your Own Well-Being

There are only so many things that our brains can keep track of at a given time. We compensate for this fact by building in “autopilot” motor skills or activities in order to get through the day without having to focus on every tiny detail. When we drive, for instance, we can automatically feel how much gas to give on the pedal based on past experience when we approach a familiar hill. Another example is the inbuilt assumption that after work on Wednesdays you will drive to the gym.

Introducing a new routine into your life helps build this structure and allows you to take better care of yourself and your personal relationships — eventually without having to exert any effort. By forcing yourself to eat three meals a day without skipping breakfast, for example, you reduce your chances of being malnourished. Committing to a set exercise time or a work schedule similarly helps you keep track of important elements that lead to a normal, stable life. One major consequence of drug and alcohol abuse is self-neglect, after all, so by creating a structured routine you are not only avoiding abuse but also doing things that actually add enjoyment to your life.

Create an Entirely New Lifestyle

Another major contributor to substance abuse is simply the ritual of abusing. When we get off work, having a beer can be a perfectly acceptable habit. However, when one beer becomes a night of binge drinking in front of the TV every single night, this ritual becomes harmful to your body and your general well-being.

Creating a new routine introduces new alternative rituals that actually enrich our lives. Jogging can be a great way to get the stimulation you craved from drugs with real health benefits rather than a debilitating crash. Picking up a hobby like painting or learning to play guitar can substitute a night spent drinking beer or doing drugs while passively staring at a screen.

Introducing dramatic changes like these can be the only way for some people to break away from their old life and create a new, happier, healthier one during their addiction treatment. You can try any of these activities and tie them directly to your rehab program with therapy options available from treatment centers like South Coast Counseling. 

Visit our Types of Therapy page to learn how music therapy, art therapy, career development and similar programs can have you focusing on something that brings you joy rather than pain.

Is Social Drinking Considered Alcohol Abuse | South Coast Counseling ?

If you or a loved one is a social drinker, here is what you should consider when trying to determine whether or not it should be defined as alcohol abuse.

When you go to the doctor for a physical, they might ask you how many alcohol beverages you consume in one week. This might be a difficult question for some to answer because they might engage in social drinking, which can be an inconsistent consumption of alcohol. If this is the case, you have to wonder if this type action can be determined as alcoholism, as there is no clear-cut answer. If you or a loved one is a social drinker, here is what you should consider when trying to determine whether or not it should be defined as alcohol abuse.

What is Social Drinking?

Though the definition of social drinking can be vague, essentially it means that someone only drinks alcohol in certain, social situations. For instance, if the person in question only drinks at holiday parties, then they can be considered a social drinker. While this sounds harmless, the boundaries of social drinking can be twisted so that those who are drinking on a regular basis have an excuse to do so, by claiming that they are a “social drinker,” when they’re really not.

In order to be a true social drinker, you would only consume an appropriate amount of alcohol on the rare occasion. Even then, you would be able to control your intake and not be drinking to have a good time. However, social drinkers are few and far between because most of the time, this is not the case.

When is Social Drinking Considered Alcohol Abuse?

Because social drinking defines those who only drink on certain occasions, this can very easily lead to binge drinking, which a dangerous act. Binge drinking is when someone consumes more than four or five alcoholic beverages in one sitting, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Binge drinking can cause alcohol poisoning, which can be life-threatening. Additionally, those who drink socially and binge drink may become involved in dangerous actions, such as violence and driving under the influence.

When drinking socially and binge drinking occur more often than not, it can be considered alcohol abuse. If you find that you are making excuses for your drinking, so that you can drink on more than just the rare occasion, you might be considered an alcoholic.

How to Prevent Social Drinking

To stop drinking socially, you can simply remove yourself from situations where you know there will be alcohol. You should have an honest discussion with your friends and family, asking for their support. Hopefully, they will respect you and help you avoid situations where you might be tempted to drink.

However, if you feel like you are thinking about drinking more than you are not, you might have an alcohol abuse problem. The only way to ensure your health and safety is to seek alcohol abuse treatment Seattle wa  from your local rehab center. Professional counselors will give you the tools you need in order to stop social drinking, binge drinking and other alcohol abuse habits you may have.

Here at South Coast Counseling, we have an experienced and devoted staff who wants to see you get well. If you or a loved one struggles with alcohol abuse, reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you or your loved one onto the path of sobriety.