Recovering from addiction takes a lot more than just stopping using drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse impacts every part of your life. How it can affect your financial stability is often overlooked.
The Cost of Addiction
Besides spending a large amount of money feeding your substance abuse, addiction can have a much wider spread cost. A substance use disorder could also lead to:1
- Missed mortgages
- Missed rent
- Missed car payments
- Losing your job
- No longer paying health insurance
Once you enter rehab, the cost of getting treated may be added to your financial worries.
How to Recover Financially After Recovering Mentally
There are many ways to approach regaining financial stability after you leave Addiction Rehabilitation. Some of your first steps should include:
Set Goals
Take time to sit quietly and list out the long- and short-term goals you have. Whether it’s paying off debt, buying a new couch, or going on a vacation, putting pen to paper can make these goals much more real and often more achievable.
Differentiate Between Wants and Needs
Once you have a list of financial goals, the best step to take is to differentiate between wants and needs. Buying a new couch is a want; paying off debt is a need.
By separating your list into sections of different priorities, you give yourself a clearer idea of how to approach buying or paying for different aspects of your life.
Start Small
Prioritize the most urgent needs first. Pay off high-risk debt, make sure your health insurance is updated, and create an emergency fund. By starting with the most important things first, you’ll be able to overcome the biggest source of your stress first and feel less pressured by your financial situation as time goes by.
Learn to Budget
Budgeting is vital to any financial plan. Work out how much money can be spent on housing, food, clothes, and transport each month. Then spread out the rest of your funds as savings for vacations, emergencies, or paying off certain loans or debts. This will help you stay on track with your financial recovery plan.
Rely on Your Rehab’s Post-Treatment Resources
Many addiction rehabilitation centers offer life skills training or work support. They might be able to help you get a job and learn how to manage your money better. Take the time to attend these classes and better understand the road toward financial health.
Finances as a Relapse Trigger
Struggling with money can cause excessive amounts of stress, making it all the more likely for you to relapse. Dealing with your finances early on and with a clear plan can make the road to financial stability easier and more rewarding.
Getting Help
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or the recovery process, Adelante Recovery Center is an Orange County drug and alcohol rehab that helps people get their lives back on track while entering a lifelong journey to health and stability.
The facility offers treatment for a range of addictions. It can help you or the people you love find comprehensive Addiction Rehabilitation program that cover group and individual therapies, as well as other options aimed at providing a well-rounded approach to recovery. Simply contact our team today at (949) 427-9099 to get the help you need.
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Addiction Relapse Prevention Strategies
