Despite their best intentions and diligence within the recovery process, some find they have difficulty sustaining recovery once they are faced with difficult situations or when they are alone and away from public scrutiny or treatment.
These cases can be so sporadic and periodical that it can be difficult to find a way of ensuring recovery for those rare situations that can completely unravel a person’s recovery. A recovery companion can provide an array of different benefits to those in recovery. Here are a few perks of having a recovery companion.
Accountability
A key aspect of a well-maintained recovery is some system of accountability. In early recovery, people often find a structured and well-versed system of accountability built into their inpatient treatment center and subsequently, possibly a recovery house and intensive outpatient treatment. After they have “graduated” from these institutions, they all-too-soon find themselves left to their own devices, which can be a very dangerous place to be. Having a recovery companion ensures that a recovering person has a presence in their lives who expects them to maintain recovery and can assist them during those difficult times that will inevitably occur down the road.
Growth
After the traditional period of reflection and self-realization that comes with early recovery, many people find their pursuit of loftier goals in relation to spirituality and emotional awareness have stagnated. Outside the clinical environment of treatment or recovery homes, many find that whatever structure they have in life has become devoted to work, school or relationships. Ignoring the basic human desire to grow along spiritual and emotional lines can be detrimental to a recovering person’s process in the long term. Having a recovery companion can help them stay committed to goals of a less tangible nature.
Connection
Early recovery can be a lonely place, and for some, a lack of meaningful social relationships can set the stage for a relapse. Between the stresses of everyday life and the pursuit of a higher purpose, it is easy to lose sight of the simple things that can mean all the difference when temptation sinks in. A recovery companion, provides a meaningful relationship with someone who is genuinely invested in his or her well-being. This is often an overlooked aspect of recovery that can provide a genuine and meaningful connection with another person in recovery.
Networking
Another large benefit of having a recovery companion is the opportunities it creates. The recovery community is a very tight and well-maintained group of people who are constantly seeking to help others navigate the tumultuous waters of early recovery. Whether they are looking for a job, activities to participate in or any sort of help in managing their lives, people in recovery know what it is like to recuperate from the extensive damage that maintaining an active addiction can cause. Those in recovery are looking to lend a helping hand, just as someone offered them when they decided to pursue recovery and embrace a life of fulfillment outside of themselves. A recovery companion can often be a key to networking that a recovering person can employ to better their lives.
Perspective
One thing that many people come to learn (often through trial-and-error) is that their own thinking doesn’t always lead them to the best of places. It’s a difficult pill to swallow (no pun intended) that they may have to get the opinion of someone who can relate to their situation in recovery before they proceed. People with histories of addiction are generally impulsive and short-term thinkers, a trait that has likely caused more harm than good. Having a recovery companion is a logical solution to issues of judgment, where clouded emotions can often lead those in recovery away from the choices that have their long-term recovery in mind.
