The ultimate goal of addiction treatment is to address the disease of substance use disorder and heal patients mentally, physically, and emotionally from the long-term effects of drug use. Once a patient embarks on their recovery journey, the substance-induced haze surrounding them lifts, helping them see the world more clearly and inspiring them to make changes in their lives for the better. Along that endeavor, many patients will find that recovery has benefits outside of the obvious health factors that they didn’t expect. These perks of sobriety can be considered life-long perks of the hard work put into addiction recovery.
Addiction is a bottomless pit of expenses and a genuinely terrible long-term investment for those who never seek treatment. Many patients don’t even realize how much money they spent on drugs and related activities until recovery, when they start finding an abundance of cash piling up. It leaves more pocket change for fun healthy activities and ways to treat oneself to freedom from substance use disorder.
Drug misuse puts the body under a lot of stress due to poor nutrition, sleep, hygiene, and overall neglect. Those who have been struggling with addiction for an extended period tend to look much older than they are due to a lack of self-care. However, many people in recovery start to notice the positive changes in their appearance within a couple weeks of beginning MAT. Within several months, their joints feel better, their skin looks suppler, and they begin to feel their body regenerating.
Although opioids and alcohol have a sedative effect, substance use disorder is usually coupled with insomnia due to fluctuations of the drug in the bloodstream and withdrawal episodes. Patients who enroll in treatment begin to experience better, deeper sleep once they’ve created a routine and adapted to their medication. With better, restorative sleep, the brain and body heal much faster, and people feel an increase in energy from day to day.
Once people spend a bit of time sober, they realize how much time they spent rendered useless under the influence of substances. Not only was the time spent being under the influence of substances, but also the time and effort spent acquiring the substances, gathering money, traveling to and from locations, and any other event that surrounded substance misuse. That free time in recovery is eye-opening and creates opportunities to rebuild life and make new memories.
People who have struggled with addiction often remember the shame they’ve felt repeatedly when family and friends were reluctant to trust them with plans, responsibilities, or basic tasks due to their behavior while their addiction was untreated. As they rebuild their relationships in recovery, patients enjoy earning their loved ones’ trust back, and feeling trusted is immense for boosting self-esteem.
Middlesex Recovery offers convenient and confidential outpatient treatment for substance use disorder in a professional medical facility with experienced staff and healthcare providers. If you or someone you know is seeking addiction treatment, give us a call today to learn more about our recovery programs.
