Full-day treatment programs help clients focus on their recovery while allowing them additional freedom to attend to personal responsibilities. Many people continue to work or care for their home during outpatient treatment. Maintaining positive mental health is essential to ensure progress in recovery. According to the Journal of Affective Disorders, “[P]ositive mental health may be an important resource for individuals to recover from mental illness and stay mentally healthy.” Treatment programs at The Redpoint Center provide clients with the tools and skills they need to establish and maintain positive mental health.
The Importance of Positive Mental Health During Recovery
Positive mental health reduces the severity of symptoms and helps clients focus more fully on establishing healthy routines. According to MedlinePlus, “Mental health is important” because it can help individuals:
- Cope with the stresses of life
- Be physically healthy
- Have good relationships
- Make meaningful contributions to your community
- Work productively
- Realize your full potential”
Recovery from substance abuse involves becoming a part of the sober community and building healthy relationships. Individuals in treatment gain confidence as they learn new life skills to increase emotional stability. The care team at The Redpoint Center uses evidence-based methods, including psychotherapy, prescription medication, and peer support, to help clients establish and maintain positive mental health.
4 Ways to Stay Positive During Full-Day Treatment
Staying positive helps people feel more in control of their emotions, moods, thoughts, and behaviors. An optimistic mindset is not always easy to maintain. However, people benefit from focusing on the positives in their lives instead of the negatives. Below are four ways clients increase positivity while participating in full-day treatment programs.
#1. Journaling to Overcome Challenges and Maintain Positive Mental Health
Journaling is one of the most common ways to reduce stress, improve positivity, and increase mindfulness. Clinicians at The Redpoint Center encourage clients to use journaling and other therapeutic tools to manage their symptoms and find healthy ways to express how they feel about their recovery.
Journaling does not always involve physically writing down thoughts in a notebook. Some other forms of journaling include:
- Using an app to track mood, thought, or behavioral changes
- Keeping a digital or physical dream journal
- Audio or video recording of thoughts and feelings
- Artistically expressing feelings and thoughts using various mediums
Regardless of the method, self-expression decreases stress and allows clients to better process their internal and external experiences. Focusing on positive experiences or writing about past trauma can be equally helpful for individuals with SUD. According to JMIR Mental Health, “Positive affect journaling (PAJ), an emotion-focused self-regulation intervention, has been associated with positive outcomes among” individuals with mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
#2. Regularly Connect With Loved Ones to Improve Mental Health
Connecting with friends and family significantly reduces stress and mental health symptoms for most people in recovery. The added support of engaging with loved ones helps clients feel motivated and inspired to continue making progress in treatment. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders.”
A few ways clients often connect with friends and family include:
- Chatting on the phone, through video calls, or over text
- Emailing regularly or direct messaging using social media apps
- Spending time attending events together
- Engaging in outdoor activities, sports, or other hobbies
Clients often feel more focused on their recovery goals when family members support them and hold them accountable for their continued participation in treatment.
#3. Share Achievements and Other Happy Moments to Maintain Positive Mental Health
Sharing positivity with others and seeking positive news from friends and family reduces stress and improves mental health. According to the American Journal of Community Psychology, “Sharing of positive news (i.e., capitalization)—one specific type of shared positive experience—has been associated with subsequent increases in positive affect (i.e., positive emotional states) and subjective well-being; greater vitality; self-esteem and job satisfaction; less loneliness, and more happiness and life satisfaction.”
#4. Participate in Activities You Enjoy and Practice Regular Self-Care
Self-care involves putting mental health first. People recovering from substance abuse or mental health issues benefit from practicing regular self-care and engaging in healthy activities they enjoy.
Some examples of everyday self-care include:
- Spending quality time with friends and family
- Taking time alone to meditate or relax
- Eating nutritional meals
- Getting quality sleep each night
- Relying on a support system
According to SAMHSA, “When you take care of your mental health, your physical and emotional health improves; you become more resilient; and it makes it easier to find ways to manage life stressors in a healthy and positive way.” Redpoint Center provides clients with the skill development they need to maintain self-care during treatment and ongoing recovery.
Recovering from substance abuse or mental health issues requires time and dedication to change. Engaging in regular self-care and maintaining positive mental health reduces the risk of relapse and increases the effectiveness of treatment programs and services. Psychotherapy, peer support, and alternative holistic therapies provide clients in treatment with the help and guidance they need to establish and maintain healthy lifestyle changes. The Redpoint Center encourages clients to try different methods to improve mental health during and after treatment. The care team helps clients focus on the positives and find healthy ways to process and overcome challenges they may face during early recovery. To learn more about our programs and services at our locations in Colorado, call (303) 710-8496.
