How Does Improving Your Environment Help Your Mental Health?

Addiction and mental health treatment involve much more than abstaining from substance use disorder (SUD) or changing negative thinking and behavioral patterns. Treatment and recovery are also about identifying and implementing a series of healthier life changes. These changes help people live happier, healthier, sober lives. One lifestyle change, in particular, that can be beneficial is changing or improving your environment. That includes the physical environment we live in as well as the spaces we allow ourselves to enter. 

Today, we're diving into how improving your environment can be critical to improving your overall life. That includes how it'll help you stay sober and continue your recovery and healing journey. Consider working with West Coast Recovery Centers to start these journeys for yourself today! 

Transitioning Back to Everyday Life Post-Treatment

We've said it once and we'll say it again; life post-treatment comes with many challenges. Navigating these challenges while staying sober takes courage. It may feel easier to stay sober while in treatment. Within a facility or program, individuals typically have access to constant support and an onsite sober community while living in an environment conducive to sobriety. Unfortunately, many don't have these same benefits upon returning home from a treatment program. 

The idea of returning home may be scary, but it doesn't have to be. Learning to live free from addiction is such a gift and you have every right to enjoy that gift after treatment. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to make the transition process smoother. 

Fostering Positive Recovery by Creating a Recovery Plan

Creating a recovery plan is the first thing to do before leaving treatment. A recovery plan will provide you with guidelines that will help you navigate this newfound life of sobriety. It will also help you create goals for achieving wellness throughout recovery and identify potential triggers that could increase your risk of relapse. 

Try not to worry if creating a recovery plan feels overwhelming. Counselors, case managers, and other addiction treatment professionals can help you create a plan individualized to your recovery needs. Meeting with these professionals is invaluable to increasing the chances of sustainable recovery. Additionally, this is an excellent time to work with them to identify potential limitations to your recovery. That includes limitations regarding your environment.  

What Environments Might Put Your Sobriety at Risk?

Your environment refers to your physical living situation and the spaces you allow ourselves to occupy. This also includes who you associate with and where you frequent. 

Where a person lives is not always something they control. However, before leaving treatment, individuals must ask critical questions about their living situations and consider influencing factors. Some may be able to return home to their supportive families, but not everyone is as fortunate. Others may fear returning to an abusive relationship, an alcoholic parent, or other harmful living arrangements. 

So, what can some do about this? 

What Does Improving Your Environment Mean?

Improving your environment will look different for everyone. Some people may need to access resources to help them obtain housing. Others may need to focus primarily on changing who they spend time with. If substance use is the only thing you have in common with these individuals, cutting contact is critical. You can not allow anyone or anything that could threaten your sobriety to enter your physical or mental space, as this can increase your risk of relapse throughout long-term recovery. 

What Can You Do to Start Improving Your Recovery Today?

Another thing we mean by improving your environment is creating a healthy space conducive to recovery. That includes: 

• Changing your physical space by painting, getting a pet, or buying a new and exciting piece of furniture.
• Reducing your screen time by making your bedroom a tech-free space and setting screen time limits for yourself.
• Creating separate, dedicated spaces throughout your home, such as a meditation room, reading nook, or gardening area.
• Getting some indoor houseplants, as the routine of taking care of them can provide structure and routine. Additionally, as the Journal of Physiological Anthropology indicates, interacting with indoor plants can reduce psychological and physiological stress! 

How Does Improving Your Environment Improve Your Recovery?

As mentioned, people must avoid anyone and anything that could put them at a greater risk for relapse, especially during early recovery. Improving your environment is one way to do that, and it can also help you heal and feel better while: 

• Fostering a more positive and supportive family environment and dynamic 
• Creating a clean, organized space free of clutter and substance use paraphernalia
• Eliminating or reducing potential triggers that might lead you to relapse  
• Filling your space with art, images, or quotes that inspire you 
• Designing a space that is light, positive, and conducive to sobriety

These are only a few ways improving your environment can help your recovery and mental health. Call West Coast Recovery Centers or visit our website to learn more about improving your environment or creating a safe home environment for your recovery today! 

Creating a recovery plan is critical to maintaining long-term recovery after leaving a treatment facility, but what does that entail? Recovery plans look different from one person to the next. However, one thing they should account for is creating a safe home environment for yourself. Improving your environment is critical to living healthier, improving your mental health, and staying sober. Improving your environment is also about cutting ties with anyone whose presence can be triggering. Those of us in recovery need to prevent anything or anybody that could threaten sobriety into our physical or mental space. To learn more about improving your environment and creating a safe home space, call West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509 today!