A slip or even a full-blown drug relapse is among the most common challenges patients face in their addiction recovery journey, with studies estimating that 85 percent of individuals relapse within a year of treatment. In your recovery, you will likely be faced with myriads of challenges that can undermine your sobriety gains. Making sure you define a set of physical, relational, mental, and emotional limits or boundaries is critical to a sustained recovery and sobriety.
What Are Boundaries in Recovery?
Boundaries are rules that patients recovering from a life of addiction establish to help them develop healthy relationships with others and themselves. Setting boundaries will help you overcome the temptations and stressors that could send you back tumbling into the world of drug use and alcohol abuse.
Benefits of Boundaries in Recovery
The following are the benefits of setting boundaries in your recovery journey.
Help avoid risk factors
Not everyone in your circles has your best interest at heart while you are recovering. Friends or family who aren’t in recovery may tempt you to go back to habits that can trigger a relapse. A boundary that cannot be compromised helps save you from risk factors that could potentially lead to a relapse. Letting your friends or family know they cannot be around you when drinking or using drugs can help you avoid temptations. It can also be an effective way of knowing whether your friends are willing to compromise on these areas, thus enabling you to reevaluate your relationship.
Friends who are unwilling to support your recovery efforts may not be the type you want to have at this new stage in life. Similarly, setting boundaries with your loved ones is important. If your significant other wants you to maintain sobriety, they shouldn’t be drinking or using drugs around you either.
Saves you from uncomfortable situations
Setting social boundaries can help save you from embarrassing or uncomfortable situations. When you have robust social limits, you will avoid social settings where drugs and alcohol are being used, especially when you are newly sober. Having social limits means you know when to say no to invitations to social events such as parties, anniversaries, weddings where drugs and alcohol are in abundance.
Helps maintain a healthy work-life balance
A healthy work-life balance is integral to successful recovery. If you work too much, you will likely experience higher stress levels and could find it more challenging to maintain your sobriety. Understanding your limits and politely declining additional assignments that could trigger stress is important to your recovery.
Helps you focus on recovery
Successful recovery requires focus and commitment. By setting boundaries with yourself and others, you give yourself the necessary room to focus on your thoughts and actions. Having limits can be one way to free space in your mind to dedicate to recovery. It also ensures you are taking charge of who you are and where you want to go.
Examples of healthy boundaries
- Saying no when you mean no
- Admitting you are wrong
- Seeking help when you mean it
- Confidently turning down a drink when in social places
- Giving yourself a safe distance from family members and friends that don’t respect your boundaries
- Choosing to share your values and opinions instead of lying to gain approval from others
Start Your Treatment at Hickory Treatment Centers
Boundaries help you live out your life with integrity while ensuring you have firm control over your recovery and life. Limits also help you feel stable and secure throughout your recovery journey. Healthy boundaries mean taking responsibility for your emotions, actions, and decisions. It also means avoiding taking responsibility for others’ actions or emotions.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, addiction, or mental health disorder, don’t hesitate to contact Hickory Treatment Centers today. At Hickory Treatment Centers, we offer multiple levels of care to help every patient experience a safe, long-term recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Contact us today to learn more.
