subject: Addiction And Recovery: Effectively Structure Your Time To Prevent Relapse [print this page] Most people have routines and organizing structures in their lives that help provide stability. An addict's lifestyle is often one of chaotic instability and disorganization. A general lack of structure and routine contribute to this disorganization. The usual structuring factors of work, routines for personal and family responsibilities, and predictable eating and sleeping habits may be missing. This general lack of structure and organization helps to create the general chaos that exists in the daily life of an addict.
One of the benefits of inpatient treatment is the structure that it provides to the addict in early recovery. The order and structure of the program itself, with its regimented wakeup time, limited time for breakfast service, daily morning meetings, and expected consistent daily attendance of sessions. The newly recovering person is called upon to sleep at night, and be awake and engaged during the day when treatment personnel are available and presenting recovery materials and services. There are also rules about when the person can leave the treatment center and where they can go. After leaving inpatient treatment, the person in early recovery is called upon to create the ongoing structure in their daily lives.
Obsessive thoughts about drinking/using are reduced by closely scheduling your day. Boredom, which is highly correlatede with those obsessive thoughts about using, is reduced. Active addiction is characterized by the addict's life revolving around getting the drug, using it, and getting over using it. In abstinence the loss of this behavior represents a loss of structure. The newly recovering addict is called upon to figure out how to replace the old drinking/drugging routine with new, recovery enhancing routines.
A change in routine is necessary to develop a lifestyle that encourages and nurtures recovery instead of addiction. This often involoves a complete change and restructuring of time, activities, and attention.
A recovery lifestyle can be developed more easily by using a day planner, appointment book, or other similar tools to build a daily schedule of recovery enhancing activities. In this schedule should be counseling and sponsor appointments, planned personal and family events like parent/teacher conferences, date night, lunch with the girls, etc. Self-care activities, such as daily physical exercise, meditation time, personal relaxation routines, should also be scheduled in.
Having a tightly scheduled day in early recovery is very helpful in preventing relapse. It helps to eliminate excessive free time, which can lead to cravings, and thoughts about drinking/using. It also helps eliminate boredom, depression, and anxiety by maintaining a level of busy-ness and reducing opportunities to ruminate or worry. By not dwelling on the things that may be bothering you emotionally, depression and anxiety are reduced. A tight schedule also helps cut down on the negative emotional thoughts about self, others, and the world that feeds depression and anxiety.
Other benefits of a tight schedule involve the opportunity to learn how to prioritize tasks and activities. People in recovery often complain of having too many things that claim their time and attention. When you are feeling overwhelmed by all the activities that are facing you, you may be scheduled too tightly. In such a case, stress increases rather than decreases. Sometimes when your schedule has too many activities planned, it may be appropriate to work on assertiveness in order to learn to set and maintain boundaries. Although it can be difficult to say "no" to requests for your time and energy, this is a skill that will serve you well throughout your life. Being able to do so can help build or reinforce positive self-esteem and self-confidence. Without the abilty to be assertive or the ability to prioritize, it would be easy to become frustrated and overwhelmed. These feelings lead to more stress.
Increased stress, whether from too much or too little structure can increase the probability of relapse if it is not appropriately managed. Balance is a skill not easily acquired in early recovery. Yet, people in early recovery must learn to effectively manage all the daily living tasks and recovery tasks that they have to do, one day at a time,
