How Important Is Self-Care in Recovery?

On TV, self-care rituals and routines are all about bubble baths, massages, and maybe getting your nails done. Just think of Monica from Friends soaking her troubles away in lavender-scented soap bubbles as Enya plays in the background; Elaine from Seinfeld going to her favorite Korean nail salon, and George finding himself unable to part with that oh-so-comfortable massage chair that’s supposed to be a gift for a friend. But there’s so much more to self-care, especially when it comes to recovery! Why is self-care so important? And how can we improve our self-care game in recovery? Let’s find out!

Self-Care in Addiction Recovery: Giving Back to Ourselves

It’s no secret that alcohol misuse wreaks havoc on our lives. While the physical effects are the most obvious, however, the problem goes deeper. Here’s an overview.

• Alcohol damages our physical health. When it comes to the effects of booze on the body, no organ system is left untouched. From liver damage, blood pressure spikes, and digestive problems to poor sleep, weight gain, and muscle deterioration (yes, even our fitness efforts get sabotaged!), the aftermath can be a doozie to clean up. And while our body’s self-healing capabilities are remarkable, it will need some TLC to get there.
• It creates brain fog. Critical thinking and alcohol don’t mix well. Booze slows down our higher-order brain functions, wrecks our memory, and torpedoes our attention span. As soon as we put down the booze, the brain starts to recover. However, some neuroscience-backed self-care strategies can speed things along!
• It causes emotional turmoil. Alcohol disrupts the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, and it might take some time for the emotional seas to get calmer again. And while the withdrawal stage might be when the anxiety peaks and the mood swings turn us into Jekyll and Hyde, the effects can persist for weeks or even months afterwards. Known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, or PAWS (and not the nice furry ones), we might feel some anxiety, depression, or an overall “ugh” feeling following us around like a shadow.
• It damages relationships. While many consider alcohol to be “social glue,” the reality is often the exact opposite. We might feel like a social butterfly at the moment, but all those embarrassing late-night messages we wish we could unsend the next morning, plans that got canceled as we nursed another hangover, and arguments we had while under the influence probably didn’t help our social lives in the long run.
• It puts us in conflict with our authentic self. It’s easy to miss this point, but it’s a crucial one. When we misuse alcohol (or any substance for that matter), our mind is at war with itself. On one hand, we want to drink less or quit altogether. However, at the same time, we’re pulled toward that bar, liquor aisle, or stash of bottles in the closet. Scientists refer to this state as cognitive dissonance, and, quite frankly, it’s a bummer. We want something but wish we didn’t want it at the same time. Yikes!

This is where self-care comes in! According to the National Institutes of Health, mental health “is more than the absence of a mental illness.” Instead, it’s all about thriving, enjoying our new life, and looking forward to each day when we wake up in the morning. Self-care, in turn, is the way to achieve it. As writer Lalah Delia puts it, “Self-care is how you take your power back.”

Self-Care in Recovery: Beyond the Bubble Bath

How do we go about starting a self-care routine in recovery? It’s helpful to think of it in terms of four areas — our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. All four have been affected by alcohol use, and all four are in need of attention.

1. Physical Self-Care in Recovery: Healing From the Inside Out

“Self-care has become a new priority — the revelation that it’s perfectly permissible to listen to your body and do what it needs.” ― Frances Ryan

As we already know, alcohol does a number on our physical health. And while getting it out of our system is the first priority, we can take additional steps to take our recovery to the next level:

• Everything starts with nutrition. As they say, “You are what you eat” (or drink). And while that’s (thankfully) no longer alcohol, it’s likely that the months, years, or even decades of heavy drinking left us depleted of important nutrients. As for our gut microbiota — those helpful bacteria that live in our digestive system and keep things running smoothly — well, let’s just say they’re not too happy (that is, the ones that haven’t been wiped out altogether as a result of drinking).


  
  What does a recovery-friendly diet look like? Plenty of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains to replenish nutrients depleted by alcohol use. Foods high in B vitamins — think leafy greens, eggs, seafood, beans, and nuts — are particularly important since alcohol can deplete them. Staying hydrated with plenty of water and incorporating foods high in antioxidants, such as berries and nuts, will help our body repair itself and boost overall health.
• Exercise gets us moving in the right direction. In addition to helping us get rid of that beer belly (or wine belly, as the case may be), exercise is an excellent way to feel better as we recover. Exercise releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that give us a natural happiness boost. Find activities you truly enjoy — whether it’s running, hiking, kickboxing, or dancing in your living room, anything that gets you moving and breaking a sweat counts!
• Sleep is when the restorative magic happens. While booze often gets credit for sending us into dreamland, the results are not quite as dreamy as they might seem. In fact, alcohol robs us of the most restorative stages of sleep and leads to sleep disruption as the rebound effects kick in and counteract the initial depressant effects. Aim for at least eight hours and set up a comfortable, distraction-free sleep environment that’s about 65–68°F (the optimal temperature to get the most out of REM sleep).

In the end, it’s simple: listen to your body and give it what it needs. Without alcohol drowning out your intuition, it’ll be that much easier to hear it clearly.

2. Mental Self-Care in Recovery: Clearing the Fog

“The brain is like a muscle; books are the diet and writing is the workout.” ― Stewart Stafford

Ever try to solve a quadratic equation or play a game of chess (or even Tetris) while drinking? Even though we sometimes think booze leads to “brilliant” insights at the moment, the next morning those insights tend to lose their spark (if we even remember them). That’s because alcohol slows down activity in the prefrontal cortex — the reasoning and decision-making hub of the brain — and messes with the hippocampus (which helps us store new memories).

While quitting or cutting back certainly helps us get our smarts back, it will take some time. Here are some self-care practices to help our brain get back in shape:

• Games aren’t just for kids. One of the most effective (and fun) ways to sharpen our mental skills is by actively engaging our mind through puzzles. We can dig into crossword puzzles, Sudoku, online memory games, or even good old-fashioned Tetris to clear those cobwebs in the attic. Why not try a new one each week? Mind-training games come with an extra recovery perk: they’re a natural way to boost dopamine and increase neuroplasticity!
• School isn’t either. Chances are, we weren’t reading War and Peace or listening to a course on conversational Japanese as we downed that bottle of wine at night. Or, if we were, we probably don’t remember much of it. Now is the time to dig into a subject that fascinates us, pick up new skills, learn new languages, and much, much more. With all the time that we’re no longer spending on drinking (or cleaning up the aftermath), the sky’s the limit!
• Freeing up space makes room for thought clarity. While it might seem that bagging up some old T-shirts and donating them has nothing to do with our ability to focus, our physical space has a dramatic effect on the mind. In addition to making it easier to find something wearable in the closet, decluttering clears the mental cobwebs.

The key to caring for our mind is finding a technique, activity, or subject to explore that jibes with our interests. Whether it’s playing online chess, brushing up on our Spanish skills by listening to bite-sized Spanish podcasts on the way to work, or finally reading Ulysses, our brain will thank us!

3. Emotional Self-Care in Recovery: Calming the Storm

“The chaos around you is none of your business: your business is how you feel about it.” ― Jacinta Mpalyenkana

Remember those emotional storms that alcohol stirs up? Part of self-care in recovery is dealing with them. The most important takeaway is that emotions come and go, even if it might seem like the unpleasant ones will last forever. But while learning to accept them without judgment is the first step, there are self-care practices we can use to help create emotional shifts.

• Music sets the emotional soundtrack. As singer Maria von Trapp once put it, “Music acts like a magic key to which the most tightly closed heart opens.” Sometimes listening to an energetic or cheerful song when we’re feeling down can uplift and inspire us to keep going. However, other times it can feel cathartic to lean into the emotion we’re feeling. Even a good cry to “Let It Be” by The Beatles or “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton can hit the spot, allowing us to release pent-up emotions.

Playlists are a great way to keep our musical healing toolbox organized. And while you’re at it, check out Reframe’s recovery-related playlists!
• A solid support network is key. Part of self-care — especially when it comes to managing our emotions — is surrounding ourselves with people who support us. We take our emotional healing up a notch every time we have a positive, authentic interaction, so let’s make room for them! (For more details, check out “Types of Social Support and How They Work.”)
• Letting go of what doesn’t serve us is crucial. In the words of Curtis Tyrone Jones, “Sometimes feeling good isn’t about picking up more things to do, but about letting go of things that have nothing to do with you.” Applying this practice to our daily lives can boost our recovery. When faced with negativity, we can simply consider it without judgment, smile (in our mind, if a random grin would draw unnecessary attention), and mentally wave it goodbye as we watch it float away on a cloud (or roll into the distance on a train). The same goes for our online life as well — doing a digital detox once in a while and unfollowing people who fill our lives with negativity is a must when it comes to self-care in recovery.
• Sound healing sounds simple, but it works. Sound healing uses vibrations and frequencies to positively affect brain waves, promoting relaxation and reducing stress. And it’s not just “New Age” stuff! Science shows that soothing sounds can lower cortisol levels and naturally boost serotonin.
• Breathing is a powerful healing tool. Now, we know it sounds obvious — breathing is good for you. But there’s much more to this powerful tool we can add to our alcohol abuse self-care toolbox! Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces cortisol levels and promotes a state of calm. This physiological response can support emotional recovery by decreasing stress and enhancing emotional regulation.
• Affirmations aren’t as corny as they first seem. In the words of Tia Walker, author of The Inspired Caregiver, “Affirmations are our mental vitamins, providing the supplementary positive thoughts we need to balance the barrage of negative events and thoughts we experience daily.” Saying them out loud, sticking them to a bathroom mirror, or setting a phone reminder to have one pop up on the screen every few hours can help reprogram our subconscious feelings about ourselves.

In the end, it’s important to keep in mind that emotions aren’t inherently “good” or “bad.” Seeing them from this neutral perspective, in turn, is often enough to take the sting out of the unpleasant while creating space for profound emotional shifts with the help of the practices in our emotional self-care toolbox.

4. Spiritual Self-Care in Recovery: Finding Purpose

“The wounded mind must be reset like a fractured bone. It cannot heal itself without spiritual realignment.” ― Anthon St. Maarten

Finally, we come to the spiritual side of things. Alcohol tends to disconnect us from our authentic self, and spiritual self-care is all about finding our way back. It’s kind of like rebooting a faulty GPS app and rediscovering things that feel meaningful and give us a sense of purpose!

Meditation rewires the brain. Meditation is a key part of many spiritual practices, and it can work wonders for getting in touch with our authentic self and tapping into a source of meaning. In fact, it’s a self-care tool that also has physical, emotional, and mental benefits and reinforces all four areas of healing. Plus, it’s a science-backed way to reduce cravings, manage stress, and switch from the “default mode network” associated with habitual, repetitive thinking to one that’s associated with new ideas and insights. Plus, it even increases the volume of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, helping us recover our higher-order brain functions and memory — it’s a win-win! (To learn more, take a look at “How Can Meditation Help Me Overcome Alcohol Misuse?”)

Nature has healing powers. One of the easiest sources of spiritual energy to tap into is right there, outside our window (unless we live in a basement apartment — but even then, it’s not too far away). Whether it’s a patch of grass with a tree outside our front door, a city park, or a mountain trail, a natural setting lets us tap into a profound source of peace, sustaining our recovery. And there’s science behind it! Nature relieves both physical and psychological stress, boosts endorphins, and reduces impulsivity, according to studies. (For a deep dive, check out “What Is Ecotherapy? 5 Ways Time in Nature Improves Mental Well-Being.”)

Giving back to others is giving back to ourselves. It’s easy to get stuck in our own mind when we’re stuck in the alcohol trap, and switching our focus to others can help us heal spiritually. Plus, studies show that acts of kindness boost endorphins and oxytocin, making us feel good. They also promote neuroplasticity, helping the brain to rewire and heal itself after alcohol misuse!

Gratitude works wonders. Gratitude shifts our focus from what’s wrong to what’s right — an instant mood booster that helps our spiritual healing. Science shows that practicing gratitude increases dopamine and serotonin levels, promoting joy and reducing stress without alcohol! (To learn more, check out “Gratitude Journal Prompts To Practice Daily.”)

For more information about the spiritual side of recovery, take a look at “Exploring Spirituality In Recovery.” 

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish!

All in all, it’s important to remember that self-care in recovery isn’t selfish — it’s necessary! As author L.R. Knost writes, “Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first.’ It means ‘me too’.” And here at Reframe we’re all about helping you get there!