Today marks 30 days clean for my heroin addict boyfriend. Words cannot express how proud I am of his accomplishments and determination; however, he is not using his time wisely to keep himself busy. He was in rehab for 21 days and has been out of rehab for 10 days. So far, he has been going to NA meetings everyday, working out, and playing his guitar. He currently is not working because he is not sure if he wants to continue the job he has or get a new one. His meetings usually last an hour and a half, he plays guitar for about 20-30 minutes, and works out for about 25 minutes. In the end, there's still a lot of time in the day. He will use the rest of the time in the day to watch tv and lay on the couch. This is not very productive, so, what are some things he can do to keep himself busy and show initiative? It worries me that he's not using his time wisely. I just really hope he follows his intentions and continues what he's doing and does even more.
He can volunteer at a soup kitchen, food pantry for the needy, meals on wheels for the elderly, or some other community service agency. The United Way web site lists opportunities, or you can Google "community service" in your city. Practicing gratitude is good for all of us.
An exercise program, whether at a gym or just doing it yourself, is good too. Exercise releases dopamine which makes you feel better.
He has to be the one to get involved in life. Boredom is a choice. Keeping himself busy needs to be his job. Recovery is his job, not yours. You want the best for him, but ultimately it is his choice.
An exercise program, whether at a gym or just doing it yourself, is good too. Exercise releases dopamine which makes you feel better.
He has to be the one to get involved in life. Boredom is a choice. Keeping himself busy needs to be his job. Recovery is his job, not yours. You want the best for him, but ultimately it is his choice.
Dear Staystrong,
It sounds like he is at least doing 3 things that are minimum requirements toward recovery: Attend meetings, keep active with exercise, and pursure a meaningul, healthy, and sober-fun hobby (music).
Although rare, I've known recoverying addicts who occupy their entire day with meetings (3-5 meetings a day, every day). They do this to avoid too much free time because they know it is a dire risk.
I, too, would be concerned about too much downtime. As recommended above volunteer work or employment are good options.
For you, I encourage a family support program such as Al Anon or NAR Anon. Recovery is a long process, and it usually takes 1 year of continous sobriety before the addict has a "solid recovery process". In other words, the risk of relapse is higher during this first year
I hope this helps.
It sounds like he is at least doing 3 things that are minimum requirements toward recovery: Attend meetings, keep active with exercise, and pursure a meaningul, healthy, and sober-fun hobby (music).
Although rare, I've known recoverying addicts who occupy their entire day with meetings (3-5 meetings a day, every day). They do this to avoid too much free time because they know it is a dire risk.
I, too, would be concerned about too much downtime. As recommended above volunteer work or employment are good options.
For you, I encourage a family support program such as Al Anon or NAR Anon. Recovery is a long process, and it usually takes 1 year of continous sobriety before the addict has a "solid recovery process". In other words, the risk of relapse is higher during this first year
I hope this helps.
