If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that being home alone five days a week can get to you. If you’re able to do your job from home, you at least have assignments and meetings to keep you busy. But if you’ve been laid off from work, financial uncertainty, health concerns and boredom can trigger a great deal of anxiety.
If this is how you feel, imagine what your spouse, parent, sibling or child in recovery must be going through. Individuals recovering from addiction or a dual diagnosis disorder thrive on routine –something that’s been sorely missed this year. To keep your loved one’s recovery on track, it’s important to keep them busy.
Create a New Routine to Follow During Social Distancing
Your loved one’s recovery routine has probably been thrown off balance, with the pandemic keeping them from their morning workouts at the gym and in-person support meetings after work.
To keep their relapse temptations at bay, help them create a new daily routine with some or all of the following activities:
- Outdoor and Home Workouts. Even if the gym has opened again or offers limited hours, your loved one may not feel comfortable going. Instead of not exercising at all, encourage them to do daily outdoor runs, hike or get into disc golf. If the weather conditions aren’t right for outdoor activity, there are plenty of virtual home workouts available. For example, Beachbody On Demand offers three-month, six-month and 12-month memberships that can give your loved one access to thousands of challenging workouts.
- Meditate and Practice Yoga. Meditation and yoga are two common experiential activities in addiction and mental health treatment that help build greater self-awareness and tranquility. Practice meditation with your loved one each morning using an app like Headspace or Calm to start their day with a positive mindset. You can also help them find free yoga exercises on YouTube they can participate in throughout the day whenever they feel stressed.
- Virtual Calls with Friends. Encourage your loved one to schedule weekly calls with their friends. It could be a call once a week with their closest friend, or they can schedule multiple calls a week with a range of loved ones. It’s not exactly the same as hanging out with them in person, but talking to their friends through Facetime or Google Hangouts will be enough to keep them connected to the outside world for the time being.
- Virtual Support Group Meetings. Support meetings have helped your loved one keep their recovery on track and learn from others who are going through the same journey they are. Your loved one needs this type of support, especially now. So, help them find virtual support meetings they can attend on a daily or weekly basis.
- Thousand-Piece Puzzles. Your loved one needs activities that will challenge their mind and keep them focused. A puzzle is just what your loved one needs to stay busy, and the more pieces involved, the better! If your loved one isn’t crazy about the idea, suggest that the two of you work on it together. It’ll offer your loved one some socialization while keeping their mind off substance abuse.
- Learn a New Language. Similar to puzzle-making, language learning can improve memory, enhance problem-solving skills and strengthen verbal and spatial abilities. This activity will keep your loved one’s mind sharp and occupy their time with a productive activity instead of worrying about the pandemic. Plus, your loved one will feel a great sense of accomplishment when done –an important feeling for those trying to stay sober.
- Weekend Trips Out of the House. Finally, getting your loved one out of the house is good for their physical, mental and emotional health. Take a day trip to a lake or rent a cabin to spend an extended weekend at a national park. These are safe and exciting getaways that offer a change of scenery and give your loved one a break from all the worries and concerns surrounding COVID-19 and social distancing.
Addiction and Mental Health Treatment is Available for Your Loved One
The pandemic has turned everyone’s lives upside down, making it that much harder to maintain mental wellness and avoid substance abuse. Because of this, your loved one shouldn’t be ashamed if they need some additional help. At The Raleigh House, we know exactly what they’re going through and can help.
We offer a private, retreat-style environment just outside of Denver where they can get away from the noise of the city and recover peacefully. From evidence-based treatments like individual therapy to experiential therapies like rock-climbing, your loved one will get the personalized care and support they need to overcome their mental health or substance abuse disorder.
If your loved one needs help, don’t wait another minute. Contact our admissions team today to learn how to get them started.
