This Valentine’s Day, we share a post via New Method Wellness. These words are truly a worthwhile read!

With love,

Nutritious Thoughts

“It’s a little annoying when stores start putting up Valentine’s Day decorations before it’s even January. Well, February is here already, and now the countdown has begun toward that lovely – or dreaded – Hallmark holiday. Relationship experts and addiction professionals warn about love during the first year of recovery, but when “love is in the air” and all around you, it’s hard to block it out of your mind, especially around this time of year! As you scroll through your Facebook feeds and Instagram pics, you can’t help but wonder, how would a little love hurt anyone?

WHAT’S BETTER THAN LOVE AFTER RECOVERY?

If you are in recovery, your best bet is to make sobriety the top priority on your list rather than finding love. That can be pretty hard to do when every store you walk into is full of reminders that you are single, but rest assured, you won’t regret sticking to the discipline of sobriety for the following reasons:

• Focusing on your sobriety will, in the long run, lead to healthier relationships overall, not just in the romantic domain, but also in all aspects of life
• You increase your chances of success at any endeavor if you stick with the treatment plan that you and your substance abuse counselor developed together
• You reduce your chances of relapsing by avoiding romantic distractions
• You avoid the pitfall of unhealthy relationships. If you get involved with someone during your early stages of recovery, you get addicted to the “high” of falling in love rather than falling in love with the person
• You get to exercise responsibility by not entangling others in an emotional rollercoaster while you sort out your own emotions and discover who you are.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO INSTEAD OF FINDING A NEW RELATIONSHIP?

Do what makes you happy. Fill your schedule with activities that excite you. Here are some ideas you might want to try:

• Sign up for a dance class. Tired of salsa? Try swing dancing and bring a friend with you who will be supportive of your recovery.
• Get into photography and soak in the beauty around you. Form a new habit by creating an album of memories and people you never want to forget. Appreciate beauty in all its forms wherever you go.
• Go horseback riding. Aside from letting you bond with your favorite animal, horseback riding offers you nontraditional benefits of a physical workout. It helps strengthen your muscles and improve your cardiovascular health.
• Like water? Try water sports like surfing and paddle boarding. Not only are they great for physical exercise but they’re also excellent ways to enhance your mood and reduce anxiety.

DO NOT ISOLATE YOURSELF ON VALENTINE’S DAY

It’s a well-known fact that those who have a history of addiction tend to isolate themselves, irrespective of the type of addiction they have. Case studies have shown that social isolation largely contributes to higher rates of drug use, and the maladaptive patterns developed during substance abuse negatively affect one’s existing relationships.

Reach out to a loved one. Reach out to your recovery community. Stay connected this Valentine’s Day!