The process of recovery can be a taxing journey. It is hard work but worth it in the end. Your daughter’s recovery may also tax you as you experience the journey alongside her and try to support her. Recovery is a process that must be taken one day at a time, as each day presents a different challenge. Settling back into daily life after finishing a treatment program like Clearview can be difficult. That is why it is important to settle into a mindful process of taking things one day at a time.
In recovery, things are not always linear. What matters is that you are moving forward consistently and working to be better than the day before. When you work alongside your daughter, it is important to remember that you should be looking for progression and not perfection.
Recovering from substance abuse or mental health suffering can be tiring work. Sometimes it may feel like you’re watching your daughter go backward instead of forward. It is important to note that sometimes relapse is a part of recovery, and dealing with it together is important.
One Day at a Time With Your Daughter’s Recovery
Recovery can be hard on your daughter as she learns to go through life in a new way and stop depending on things she was dependent on before. It can feel like a difficult adjustment for everyone in the family when your daughter returns home from a treatment facility. If you show up and be there for her just one day at a time, though, soon you will find yourself in a new normal.
Taking it one day at a time also allows your daughter to reassert her sobriety or recovery each day. Every day she can reaffirm her commitment to a healthier lifestyle and a life of recovery. This allows for a renewed sense of hope and commitment.
Recovery is a life-long process that should never be rushed. It starts in treatment but it continues every day afterward. If you are committed to the process as much as she is, together you can keep on the forward-moving path. To help with this commitment, it may help to practice mindfulness alongside your daughter.
Mindfulness in the Moment
Mindfulness is a helpful process that keeps someone in the moment, focusing on what is happening around them. A research review published in Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation states that mindfulness used in the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) “reduced substance dependence and craving, as well as other addiction-related symptoms (eg, pain, health-related quality of life, depression, and anxiety) through improving mood state and emotion dysregulation.” Mindfulness can calm the urges that are associated with addiction recovery and promote inner well-being. Staying mindful will help you focus on daily progress and create a sense of wonder and gratitude for what is already working well.
Progress, Not Perfection
It is important to remember that the journey of recovery is not linear. Sometimes it may feel like your daughter is slipping backward in certain areas. At times it may also seem like she is struggling to be honest regarding her struggles. The most important thing to focus on is the fact that recovery is a process. It will never be perfect, no matter how long your daughter has been in recovery. It doesn’t have to be a perfect line moving forward but rather a process that involves a new commitment and a small measure of progress each day.
As long as your daughter is working to be better than the day before (or at least is doing her best), that is what matters. Taking it one day at a time allows for focus on the individual moments of your daughter’s success and progress. When you stay in touch with therapists and continue the work she learned through therapy, that can also ensure progress.
Relapse and Moving Forward With Your Daughter’s Recovery
It is important to note that a relapse may happen during your daughter’s recovery journey. According to an article published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, recovery is a process that sometimes includes relapse. The article explains how relapse is a gradual process and often occurs long before someone picks up the drugs, alcohol, or behavior again. Relapse starts with emotional relapse, which turns into mental relapse and then eventually into physical relapse. Because of this, working to prevent relapse is an all-encompassing process that requires emotional support and commitment.
Your daughter must remain committed to her treatment plan and reach out for help if she needs it. Programs like Clearview Horizon are committed to remaining involved in their student’s journey once they leave. Recovery begins with treatment but continues long after girls leave the treatment center doors.
During recovery, parents must remain committed to assisting their daughter and being there even when things get hard. Relapse doesn’t mean the end of the recovery journey; rather it is just a part of it. What is important is to always focus on moving forward together. Eventually, relapse will be seen in the rearview mirror. At that point, recovery will be something that your daughter doesn’t need to focus on because it will have become a fundamental part of her life.
The process of recovery is taxing on both the child and the parent. As you go through each step alongside them, you are learning what it means to be focused on recovery as well. Taking it one day at a time ensures you both go through this process with as little stress as possible. Recovery is not always a linear process; it includes fumbles and missteps. Taking it one day at a time means recommitting daily to the goal of a life of recovery. The journey may be difficult, but it is worth it. If your daughter needs support throughout her recovery, Clearview can help. Get in touch with us at 866-584-4788.
