Addiction treatment in Toronto and lockdown are two situations that are seldom mentioned in the same sentence. However, the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently sweeping across the globe has made that a reality. Today, multiple countries across the globe are on lockdown as a result of the Coronavirus – a novel virus that causes acute respiratory issues. This is the same situation in Toronto and other parts of Canada. It’s why we have to discuss the realities of dealing with addiction treatment and the COVID-19 lockdown.
In Toronto, many businesses have been shut down as a result of the coronavirus. However, the simple fact remains that you can’t put addiction treatment on pause. Many patients have to find ways to stay faithful to their treatment while dealing with the unwelcome realities of the COVID-19 lockdown.
On its own, addiction recovery in Toronto or anywhere else for that matter can be a tough process. Each and every person has their own unique method of beating addiction and staying sober. For many people, it is a struggle to maintain sobriety over a long period of time. Staying focused on addiction treatment and recovery is a process that requires effect and strength.
In these COVID-19 times, the effort that you have to put into treating addiction is astronomical. The lockdown comes with feelings of stress and anxiety that often enhance an addiction. However, it is up to you to take the steps to turn this lockdown into a positive phase for your addiction recovery.
As we go on in this article, we will discuss simple steps that you can take to enhance your addiction recovery in Toronto. These steps will be designed to make sure that you are staying faithful to your addiction recovery during this difficult period. Keep reading to find out more!
Related article: Top Effective Drug Addiction Treatments You Need to Know
COVID-19: The Best Tips To Help You Stick To Addiction Treatment
How do you make certain you don’t suffer a relapse from addiction treatment during the COVID-19 lockdown? These tips will help manage the feelings of stress, tiredness and uncertainty while keeping you on track with addiction recovery in Toronto.
Believe in Yourself
The first step to staying faithful to your addiction recovery process is to believe that you can do it. You have already decided that you want to deal with an addiction. That’s half of the battle won. With self-belief and confidence, you can get the mental strength to win the next half of the battle against addiction.
It’s completely normal to feel cravings during your addiction recovery process. With the COVID-19 lockdown, you may feel like you have no choice but to go down that road again. When this happens, the key is to refocus your thoughts with positive programming.
Remind yourself why you started down the path of addiction treatment in Toronto. Determine that your sobriety and quality of life matters. In fact, you can go as far as saying it out loud to yourself. With self-believe and effort, few things are impossible.
Related article: Encouraging a Young Adult with Drug Problems to Get Addiction Treatment
Make Life Changes That Encourage Positivity
Most times, an addiction recovery process is derailed by feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. As a result, making positive lifestyle changes can create a far less toxic environment. This can do wonders in helping you stay faithful to treatment during the lockdown.
You can think of this lockdown as an opportunity to start a new chapter in your life. With this mindset, you will be able to make positive life changes that will enhance your recovery. Some of these changes revolve around staying away from friends and situations that encourage your addiction.
In the same vein, if you are wondering how to beat addiction, try these lifestyles changes:
- Include exercise and walks in your daily routine
- Makes friends that will support you while you battle cravings
- Try out a new hobby. You can also explore more sides to hobbies that you already have.
- Engage your creativity. Try writing, painting, photography and more.
- Use journaling as a means of channelling your thoughts
Related article: Enjoyable Activities for Recovering Addicts: How to Start a Healthy Lifestyle
Reasonable Goals are the Best
During addiction recovery, most people stop because they are psychologically intimidated by the amount of work that has to be done. With the seemingly unending nature of the COVID-19 lockdown, feelings of intimidation can creep in.
The best way to make sure that you stay grounded as you learn how to beat addiction is to stay grounded. Take it day by day. Short-term goals are easier to accomplish. More importantly, they add up to significant progress.
- Set small reasonable goals for each day
- Make sure these goals build up to a significant goal at the end of the week
- Reward yourself when you reach milestones
- Use a journal to track your results
Related article: What is Group Therapy for Drug Addiction Treatment?
Build a Strong Support System
As a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, it may seem like you can’t connect with those that support your addiction treatment process. However, that is not the case. With the internet and video calling capabilities, you can speak with as many people as you want — at the same time too.
Therefore, you can build a support system that will help you stay faithful to your treatment during the lockdown. Identify people around you that can help you sort your feelings when you start feeling overwhelmed. If it’s a friend, let them know how important they can be for you during this period.
Additionally, your support system can include professionals that know how to beat addiction to different substances. For instance, Addiction Rehab Toronto has taken strict measures to make sure that we stay open this period. You can speak to any of our addiction treatment experts for help during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Connect with a Group of Like-minded People
No human being is an island. Whether it’s addiction treatment or a work project, the simple truth is that things go smoother with extra hands. The COVID-19 lockdown is an opportunity to rub minds with other recovering addicts like yourself.
Thanks to technology, many support groups such as Celebrate Recovery and 12-Step Meetings have taken their meetings online. Therefore, you can easily find a group that you connect with and join it. Through this medium, you will be able to share challenges, celebrate accomplishments and find people that can relate to your struggles. A connection is an important tool during addiction recovery treatment in Toronto. Use it well!
Don’t Stop, Even if You Relapse
About 40-60% of people that start addiction treatment experience a relapse. Whether it’s drug or alcohol addiction, most experts still classify a relapse as an illness. Therefore, relapsing isn’t a death knell on your addiction recovery process. It’s just one more hurdle to cross on your way to living a more wholesome life.
There’s no reason to abandon all of the hard work that you did before the relapse. More importantly, you should know that this hard work doesn’t get cancelled because of a relapse. If you are wondering how to stay faithful to your addiction treatment, the key is to keep attending virtual meetings, making positive changes and talking with professionals — even after a relapse.
Related article: How to Bounce Back from a Relapse?
In Summary
There are a lot of things wrong as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. However, your addiction treatment is one of the positives that you can take away from this period. Follow the tips we have discussed above and you should be well on your way to recovery.
If you feel like you need professional help, Addiction Rehab Toronto can be your partner in your way to addiction recovery in Canada. We offer a comprehensive approach that can make a difference in your rehabilitation, especially during the lockdown. Speak to any of our friendly addiction experts today!
