How Journaling Can Help You Through Drug Rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a difficult process. It is physically and mentally challenging for a person. You want to find ways to make it through the process. Journaling, and recording your experience, is one way that can help you make it through the rehab process.
No matter what type of drug you are taking and are currently battling an addiction to, recording your thoughts and feelings in a journal is a tool that will help you discover things about yourself that will assist you through the recovery process. It may even help you discover ways that will teach you how to avoid relapsing and encourage you to stay clean after you leave drug rehabilitation.
An important part of the rehab process is fully understanding why you turned to drugs in the first place. Recording your memories, feelings and experiences will give you a big picture as to what state of mind you were in when you turned to drugs and how addiction became such a big part of your life. Once you understand the choices you have made in your past, it will give you some clarity and perspective as to the choices you want to make in your future.
Not only will recording your experience in drug rehab teach you to understand your addiction better, it will be a cathartic experience for you that helps you come to terms with your past and aid you on your future journey. Here are some reasons that recording, or journaling, your experience is beneficial:
Clarification — Recording your experiences and emotions through your addiction and your rehab process will help you clearly see the situation. It will assist you in gaining perspective on why you became addicted to drugs. In addition, it will allow you to see the devastation that your addiction brought, not only to your own life, but to those who love you. This type of clarification is a valuable tool on your journey through rehab.
Reduce Stress and Help You Through Withdrawal — Research shows that recording your thoughts and feelings actually works toward reducing the stress that accompanies sad or painful events. It will help you focus and remain calm. Journaling can also distract you from difficult withdrawal symptoms.
Help Avoid Relapse — Another great benefit to journaling and getting to know yourself better is that you can more easily come up with ways to support you in avoiding relapse. Writing down your thoughts and feelings will show you how to look at situations with additional perspective, often giving you a wider scope on problem solving.
Track Your Progress — Another great thing about recording your drug rehabilitation process is that it will easily allow you to see how far you have come. It can be uplifting and encouraging to see the progress you have made in your life. Reading entries into your journal will allow you to see this and mark your advancement. Sometimes this type of encouragement will be just what you need in order to keep going that day.
Self awareness is a critical part of the drug rehabilitation process. You can start this process by starting your journal today.