Addiction Recovery is a long and winding road that will test your resolve and patience at every turn. You will need to be able to focus on yourself and what want from your life. You have to connect with yourself on a much deeper, more spiritual level in order to confront and overcome the behavioral patterns that lead you astray and the best way to start with this is to learn some relaxation techniques during recovery. This recovery is essential for an alcoholic or drug addict hoping to improve his or her health, relationships, career, and life. When in rehab, make sure to try out the many methods by which you can relax yourself and stick along for the ride. Without the help of your substance of choice, you might find it hard to relax in recovery but these tips have been known to be helpful.

Meditation

While it may seem like a long shot, meditation is a method of relaxation that those with and without an addiction are able to benefit from with enough practice. Meditation is simply the quieting of the mind for a few minutes each day, which allows you to relax, to focus on your inner-self while becoming one with the world around you, and to detach from the nagging cravings that often shoot through your mind. You can enjoy your time in solitude while thinking about your inner-most thoughts.

Visit with Loved Ones

Spending time with the people you love keeps your mind off of the things that hurt and distract you, including addiction. You want to spend most of your time around the ones that love and support you unconditionally, so that you feel uplifted and calm.  Don’t spend time with negative, judgmental, or emotionally taxing people that only make you feel worse.

Keep Up With Hobbies

Whether you like to watch movies, read books, or knit; a consistent hobby can keep your hands and mind busy while making sure that you have something to do. You want to stay as busy as possible, and if you’re doing things you love then you will be more empowered to avoid giving into temptations and cravings during addiction recovery.

Exercise

Exercise can offer tremendous health benefits and add strength to your sobriety during recovery. By exercising, you’re working your body to achieve greater things while purging those not-so-nice things from your being. While sweating and getting that blood flowing, you’re able to focus more on yourself, on the pain you feel with each rep and the results that

Eat Something or Sip a Hot Drink

Eating hearty food and sipping hot drinks can relax the mind and body. Grab a snack or some tea and sit down with a nice book or movie to enjoy yourself and the time that you have without the substance. Drinking water can also help with fighting off cravings and should be a staple of every daily routine. Whatever methods you employ to relax and remain calm during recovery, it’s a great benefit to your long term health and sobriety. Taking the time to realize the things that matter more than using, and staying away from the things that stress you out, can be the first steps toward lasting recovery when you’re in need of a way to let go of the addiction that has been holding you down.  Breathe, remain calm, and you will beat this.