Importance of Goal Setting for Addiction Recovery

Following drug or alcohol addiction, there are some necessary steps to follow to achieve your long-term and short-term aspirations.

Goal setting is a big part of recovery, both during treatment at a private rehabilitation centre and after.

The Importance of Goal Setting for Addiction Recovery

If you want to help yourself recover from addiction and follow a clear pathway to sobriety, then you must focus on setting goals along the way that are achievable.

Some of the ways in which this is possible are by developing strong life skills. If you desire to help yourself, then you need to remember the tools learned at rehab, including mindfulness and focus techniques.

Adjusting your mental focus on yourself is important. Ultimately, we can only make progress in our lives by working on prioritising self-care and nurturing a positive sense of self-worth.

To actively achieve long-term addiction recovery goals and change your behaviours, thoughts and needs, there are various methods and therapies that you will have learned in rehab.

At private drug and alcohol rehab, the tools you need for long-term goal setting are nurtured. Often in rehab, you will learn how CBT therapy, effective goal setting and counselling work together to create goals that give you peace of mind and in-depth insights into your needs.

 

SMART Goal Setting for Addiction Recovery

Worthwhile and effective goal setting for addiction recovery will require real contemplation.

It’s no use setting vague goals in recovery – the key is to shape and refine your aspirations, not only so that they are realistic and attainable, but also so there is a clear direction in place for you to follow, helping you to stay sober and maintain a successful recovery.

SMART goal setting is one of the clearest and best-defined processes to ensure those in addiction recovery have clear, attainable goals in place they can realistically achieve, both in the short term and long term.

Specific

Setting clear and well-defined goals is essential for long term recovery.

When it comes to addiction, individuals often experience feelings of failure, making it even more essential to establish specific goals. By setting clear objectives, you create opportunities to celebrate meaningful accomplishments and milestones along your recovery journey.

It’s important to remember that specific goals in recovery will vary for each person. However, it’s important to stay focused on actionable steps that can be taken to achieve those goals.

By having clarity and a well-defined plan, you can increase your chances of success and experience the satisfaction of reaching important milestones along the way.

Some examples of specific goals could be:

• Instead of “I want to quit using drugs and participate in addiction treatment” a specific goal could be “I will attend a support group meeting every week and attend cognitive-behavioural therapy sessions to address the root of my addictive behaviours.”
• Instead of setting a goal of “I will stay away from temptations”, a specific goal could look like “I will actively engage in sober social activities to regain stability and purpose in my life.”

Measurable

Making goals measurable is an important aspect of effective goal setting in addiction recovery.

A measurable goal means having a clear way to track progress and determine when the goal has been achieved. Without measurable goals, it becomes difficult to track your progress and stay motivated.

An example of a measurable goal in recovery could be instead of “I want to get back to the level of physical and mental health I had before addiction”, a measurable goal would be “I will go on a short walk three times a week, gradually increasing my distance and reducing my time.”

Achievable

An achievable goal means setting targets that are within your reach, and that can be realistically accomplished.

Recovery is a long process, so it’s essential to avoid setting goals that are too difficult or impossible to achieve, as this can lead to avoidable frustration and setbacks in your recovery journey. By setting achievable and realistic goals, you set yourself up for success.

An example of an achievable goal setting process in addiction recovery could be, instead of setting an overwhelming goal like “I will never have any cravings or temptations again,” an achievable goal could be “I will learn healthy coping strategies and seek support when I experience substance use cravings.”

Relevant

A relevant goal means choosing targets that directly connect to your specific needs, values, and aspirations in your recovery journey. Setting relevant goals helps you stay focused, motivated, and, most importantly, on the right path.

By setting relevant goals, you ensure that your efforts are directed towards areas that directly impact your recovery and overall well-being. It keeps you connected to your purpose and your “why”.

Relevance simply means setting goals that address specific challenges, triggers, or areas of personal growth that are essential for your long-term recovery success. By setting relevant goals, you increase the likelihood of making meaningful progress, developing resilience, and building a fulfilling and sustainable recovery lifestyle.

Time-bound

In addiction recovery, time bound goals involve setting specific deadlines or timeframes for achieving your objectives.

For example, instead of setting a vague goal like “I want to improve my coping skills,” a time bound goal could be “I will attend a therapy session every week for the next 3 months to learn and practice effective coping strategies.”

By setting a specific timeframe for yourself, you create a sense of structure and accountability. It helps you stay motivated and focused, as you have a clear deadline to work towards. It allows you to track your progress and put in more effort when necessary, as well as make any necessary adjustments along the way.

Time-bound goals are important for providing a sense of direction. And remember, time bound goals should be realistic and achievable within the specified time.

 

Building a Foundation for Positive Change and Recovery

The simple tips in life, such as eating better, exercising and sleeping better, are the foundations for change and positive movement for the future.

Not only does addiction recovery and treatment take a lot of support from those around you and your private rehab therapists, but it also takes constant positive energy. Start at your own pace.

It is important you set goals only for the present and future. The past is behind you, and there is no point in being distracted by who you were. Rather, you should focus this year’s resolutions only on who you’re becoming.

Your alcohol or drug addiction is part of your past, and the issues that have been created as a result of your addiction are also behind you. That is why making small weekly and monthly goals can help keep you positively distracted and focused on achieving a healthy and happy world.

 

Developing Discipline

This is a specific element of your lifestyle that must be met with certainty. Discipline is needed to ensure that you follow through on all the goals you set once you have completed a rehab programme. These goals may be divided into specific areas of your life: home life, social life and work life. The goals that you set will only work if you work yourself and create a strict setting for you to thrive.

At Action Rehab, you will learn a multitude of life skills that you can adapt daily. Eliminating distractions is the best place to start. Make plans in advance and have things to look forward to – this way you will spend time being disciplined daily.

 

Creating Positivity When Goals Are Reached

When you reach a goal, whether that is something as big as finding a new job, or something as small as creating healthy meals for the week, you should reward yourself with something meaningful.

This may be taking yourself shopping, ordering pizza, or taking a trip to the cinema. If you can give yourself a type of positive energy and associate this with succeeding, you will find it much easier to make bigger plans and set even bigger goals in the future.

Creating positive energy may also be taking time to meditate or journaling. You may want to reset your space, by making it calmer, tidier and well-aired. The setting and environment that you live in daily will also determine how successful you are with meeting your goals.

 

Building Confidence in Recovery

Confidence building doesn’t happen overnight. However, you often build self-confidence during your time at alcohol or drug rehab.

This is because you’ve opened up to your traumas and started your healing journey. The support groups and counselling sessions also play a big role in helping you feel validated and more secure internally.

It can be hard, but you need to be your own top priority in addiction recovery, and boosting your own confidence can be done in many ways. Perhaps you want to change your appearance. After all, a spruce-up can make us feel much more positive. It could be as simple as a new jacket or a new hairstyle.

To go deeper than this, you can improve your confidence with simple steps such as:

• Understanding and knowing what you’re good at.
• Build positive relationships and get close to people who offer you positive energy.
• Be kind and speak words of positivity to yourself.
• Know your boundaries and clearly say no when it doesn’t feel right to you.
• Challenge yourself, when you feel like it, as this will greatly improve your self-esteem.
• Share laughter and positive times with people around you.
• Don’t be afraid to share your story with people. Addiction is not a crime, and staying on track with your recovery is something you should be incredibly proud of.

 

Building Self-Awareness

Building self-awareness involves understanding different aspects of yourself, such as your personal boundaries, how you react to difficult situations, and the choices you make in response to them.

It may sound odd, but spending quality time with yourself, where you can focus purely on looking within, will help you to achieve clarity. For example, ask yourself – do I know how I react or behave in certain circumstances? Am I aware of my emotions and what I can handle?

Once you start appreciating these aspects, you can begin setting goals. For example, you can determine how much time you need to achieve certain goals and whether it’s feasible to accomplish them within a week or a month.

Understanding your own tendencies and knowing how to handle challenges and emotions is key to effective goal setting. It helps you make informed decisions about the pace and achievability of your objectives, setting you up for greater success on your path of personal growth and recovery.

 

Find the Right Rehabilitation Centre for You with Action Rehab

We hope this article has been helpful to you when it comes to your own goal setting for addiction recovery.

If you are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, know that you don’t have to face your battle alone. Reach out to our professional, helpful and friendly team, who will endeavour to help you with your problems.

At Action Rehab, we have a multidisciplinary team that works for you, at a time that is convenient for you. If you need urgent help, please reach out to us on 0151 268 6992 today or contact us.

Posted on Friday, January 27th, 2023 at 11:36 am in Latest News, Rehab.