6 Regulations That You Should Follow To Make Your Addiction Recovery Faster

The most common word used to describe the process of addiction recovery is "journey." It is a journey people make with their mind, body, and soul. Psychological withdrawal symptoms are a common occurrence regardless of whether it's drugs, alcohol, or gambling you're fighting. While it's always best to follow all the rules put in place when going through rehab, there are six regulations that you should really stick to if you want to recover from addiction faster.

1. Device Restrictions

The first regulation in order to make your recovery faster is to limit the use of all electronic devices. This means you should not have access to a TV or computer when in rehab.

Sometimes the rule is you have no access to those things, while other times it's more of a supervision and time-management thing. A common theme is to have strict cell phone restrictions during rehab since those can create relapse possibilities easier to come by. It can also become a trigger if you receive a text from someone that you find stressful to be around.

While having limited communication options can be irritating, know that it won't last forever. As you grow more resilient during the rehab process, you'll eventually be able to have access to your electronic devices again.

2. Cut Contact with Enablers

You may have a lot of people you call friends. In fact, they may be the reason why you became addicted to something to begin with since they encouraged your actions. As much as possible, avoid these types of people since they will only make things more difficult for you if they're around.

During rehab, it's important to cut all contact with people that can trigger you to act out. It’s not unusual for enablers to make you feel guilty for leaving them alone, but the truth is that people who are enabling you need help as well. It's not always easy to know who you should cut contact with, and which person just needs a little time to understand how things work.

A lot of the time, these things will begin to reveal themselves during the process of addiction recovery. One thing is for certain - never stay in contact with someone you feel is dangerous since they can turn things around and make you relapse as a result.

3. Avoid Triggers

Another one of the regulations you should follow to make your recovery faster is to avoid triggers. These can be people, places, and things - anything that might cause you to relapse as a result of your addiction. Regardless of what you're addicted to, this rule applies.

Sometimes a trigger is something obvious - like your dealer. Other times, triggers can be something more subtle like listening to a song that reminds you of the good old days. The theory behind triggers is that you need to remove anything that makes you feel bad about yourself, or brings back memories of when you were using.

For this reason, it's important to be observant during rehab in order to help yourself stay on track. While some of these are universal, there are triggers that will be specific to you and it's imperative to recognize and avoid them.

4. Focus on the Present

Focusing on your past can be dangerous since that's where you were acting on your addiction. Focusing too much on the future can become overwhelming if you're still in the beginning stages of recovery. Investing your time and energy into things that you can change and do right now will allow you to feel more accomplished. Take it one step at a time and trust that you'll be able to handle more in the future. [To get the help you need, consider this rehab option.]

5. Get Plenty of Rest

Sleep is necessary for recovery since it helps rebuild things like your serotonin levels. Without proper sleep, you will become irritable and depressed as a result of not getting enough rest as well as not being able to feel emotion properly since your brain is under-performing. It's also important to get enough sleep in order to make sure you can focus on what's going on and follow the rules of rehab.

6. Develop a Routine

As you progress through the recovery process [made more possible when attending a rehab center like this executive rehab in California], it's important to develop a routine of sorts. This can be simple tasks like exercising for 30 minutes every day or something more complex like doing meditation after work before you socialize with friends. A new routine will help your brain feel prepared and happy since things that are normal for other people don't always seem normal to yourself, and you will always have something to fall back on in case things get hectic.

Recovering from addiction is a process that will involve many different steps and rules. As you progress, the rules might change but it's important to always keep mindful of your own pace. Pay attention to what's going on around you and how people are acting in order to keep yourself out of harm. Slow and steady wins the race and as long as you focus on your own personal goals, you'll be able to overcome your addiction and continue living a full life without it.