How To Cope With Addiction Recovery Burnout

It takes a lot of effort to recover from addiction. 

If you ask anyone who is actively recovering at any level, they will tell you that it takes a great deal of focus, dedication, and resilience. You must conquer hurdles from time to time, and it is natural to feel exhausted or burned out after a period in recovery. 

Recovery burnout is relatively frequent, and you should not feel horrible if you are suffering from it. Learning more about it and how to deal with it, on the other hand, can help you keep your recovery going over the long run. 

What Is Recovery Burnout? 

Recovery burnout is a term used to describe the emotion that many people experience after a while in recovery. Because you've been in the therapy bubble for so long, it usually happens after the "pink cloud" period and can produce a slew of negative feelings regarding recovery. 

You may have sentiments like: 

• Wanting to give up on recovery 

• Being upset by the constant discussion of sobriety 

• Being irritated by the treatment bubble you're in (AA, residential treatment, etc.) 

• Feeling helpless as a result of society's acceptance of drugs and alcohol 

While you may experience any of this from time to time, it's important to remember that this is just a stage in your recovery process. It will pass, and it is worthwhile to make an effort to stay sober. Here are six tips to help you overcome recovery burnout and get back on track: 

#1. Start going to different recovery meetings 

A change is said to be as good as a rest. Cutting back on recovery meetings might not be a good idea in the early stages of recovery, but there's no reason you can't switch things up a little. Try attending a variety of meetings in your immediate area, as well as visiting meetings in other towns or online. A change might give you a fresh lease on life. 

#2. Try some new recovery resources 

There are so many various sorts of recovery materials available that attempting something new is likely to rekindle your interest. Look into online tools such as recovery web forums and blogs. There are also helpful video recovery blogs on YouTube. 

#3. Do something non-recovery related to strengthen your sobriety 

Maintaining your sobriety doesn't have to mean only doing things tailored to individuals in recovery. Taking up a new interest, exercising, and enrolling in a night class will considerably enrich your life. The main aim of quitting drinking or using drugs is to live a better life, so don't think you have to limit yourself to particular options. The only absolute requirement is that the things you participate in are beneficial to you rather than placing you on a route to relapse. 

#4. Take on a new recovery project 

Early in your recovery, you don't want to take on too much more work. However, committing to a new project could help spark your enthusiasm. There are a few things you could try: 

• Start a journal or memoir about your addiction (you don't have to show it to anyone else) 
• Write your own recovery blog 
• Start to produce recovery-related videos and upload them to YouTube 
• Create recovery-related podcasts 
• Train for a marathon (do this gradually, perhaps over a year) 

#5. Participate in social service 

Giving back to the community can be a great strategy to assist your recovery. Suppose you belong to an organization like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. In that case, you will have no trouble finding tasks to do, such as setting up chairs before meetings or greeting newcomers. The beautiful thing about volunteering is that you'll be focusing more on others, which means you'll be able to escape any negative ideas that are adding to your burnout. 

#6. Cut back on your commitments 

You may be experiencing burnout as a result of taking on too much. You must be truthful with yourself here since needlessly cutting back may jeopardize your recovery. It can be a good idea to temporarily remove one or two commitments to see if this helps, but be sure that whatever you're deleting isn't something necessary to keep you clean. 

Most people in recovery from a substance use disorder face burnouts at some point during their journey. Professionally tackling these burnout phases is a must. To find and get in contact with a good rehab center near you, visit the Detox Directory to help you get back on track.  

Don’t Get Discouraged 

Ask anyone at any point of their recovery, and they'll tell you it requires a lot of focus, dedication, and tenacity. Recovery burnout is pretty standard, and you should not feel guilty about it. However, learning more about it will help you sustain your long-term recovery. 

Many people suffer from recovery burnout and are unsure of how to describe it. It can be challenging to admit that you are sick of the recovery process. However, after spending so much time in the therapeutic bubble, it's understandable. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it is only a stage in your rehabilitation. 

There are strategies to deal with recovery burnout without jeopardizing your sobriety. If the recovery process has burned you out, DetoxNearMe.com can help you get back on track. Visit us to get in touch with experienced professionals in your local area who can offer you the help you need today.