Trauma recovery can be a highly emotional and stressful experience, but it is an experience that is often needed for personal improvement and growth. Practicing self-care and mindfulness can also lead to learning how to effectively practice self-respect and love. In addition to this, attending therapy with therapists with relevant specialties and having a strong support system can help with creating healthy coping mechanisms and improving your mental state. (1)
Here are 5 strategies to find meaning in trauma recovery.
- Attend Therapy
Sometimes people need the help of a professional while self-healing, and there is nothing wrong with that. While in trauma recovery you will likely benefit from a therapist with a specialty in treating trauma. Addiction therapy will also be useful for those going through addiction recovery, a rehab program, and/or an alcohol or drug detox. “Addiction and trauma are very closely related, so it’s important for people suffering from both disorders to get trauma-informed care,” says Mat Gorman, CEO of Briarwood Detox Center. It is also very common for people with a traumatic past to have clinical mental conditions as well. This can also occur as a result of alcohol or drug addiction and withdrawal. In these cases, it is often necessary to visit with a psychologist (or psychiatrist) that specializes in their specific disorder. Working on your mental health as a whole can do wonders in allowing you to find meaning while in trauma recovery.
- Practice Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness allows for those in drug or alcohol addiction treatment to work on improving their mental health and finding themselves. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine can give you the necessary time to take a step back and think, and it also has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety. If dealing with stressful or emotional situations is particularly difficult for you to deal with, which is not uncommon for those in trauma recovery, you can also use breathing exercises to help you cope. Many people also choose to include the practice of mindfulness into their exercise routine by doing yoga.
- Take Care of Your Health
Improving your health is often one of the main focuses of addiction and trauma recovery. Making life changes like exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep are simple things that you can do to improve your health and feel better as a result. Practicing self-care is the first step to practicing self-respect, which is an important element of improving your mental health and self-esteem. Starting these life changes while in recovery is usually better than starting them on your own because recovery programs typically have professionals to help with preparing you for healthy, sober living. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also make sober living easier by making you feel more energetic and productive, so you will be more likely to accomplish your goals.
- Journal
A journal is a safe place for you to express your feelings and thoughts about anything that you want. Those in addiction and trauma recovery may especially benefit from this tactic by writing about topics such as their recovery, their addiction cravings and withdrawal symptoms, their mental health, and their goals for the future. Looking back on past journal entries can also allow the author to see how far they have come in their recovery, which might be the motivating push needed to encourage them to keep moving forward. It can also be a great tool for remembering events and planning ahead for those experiencing memory loss.
- Have a Strong Support System
Having a strong support system is important during both trauma and alcohol or drug addiction recovery. Having close friends and family members to reach out to when times get especially difficult can prevent a relapse, and it also helps to prevent mental health from getting worse. Keeping in touch with those close to you, having visitors, and maintaining your social life are also good ways to distract yourself from addiction cravings. Members of your support system might also be able to help you with avoiding your triggers. Having friends and close family around can contribute to making huge mental health improvements during trauma and addiction recovery. (2)
Conclusion
Trauma recovery can be an extremely emotional experience, and this can be a very stressful and triggering process for many people. Therefore, those enduring this type of recovery can benefit from professional help from a therapist. Depending on the individual situation, you may benefit from trauma therapy, addiction therapy, clinical mental health work, or all three. Having a great therapist often isn’t always enough though. A support system consisting of close friends and family is also necessary for making the improvements needed for a productive sober life. In addition, you can do things for yourself at home during recovery as well. Things as simple as writing in a journal, practicing mindfulness, and taking care of your health can help you with achieving self-growth. All of these things together allow you to find meaning in trauma recovery and focus on living the life that you want.
