Why Your Internal Clock Could Be a Key Factor in a Successful Recovery Plan
It is common for addiction recovery programs to have a time frame. Some programs only last 30 days or have a cap on how long clients can stay with the facility. Time constraints like this are not conducive to a successful recovery. There is no set timeline for how long treatment should last. Giving you a deadline for when you must leave may leave you lacking the skills to succeed in your recovery. You may leave treatment unprepared to be on your own.
The only time requirement at The Lakehouse Recovery Center is for you to remain in the program for 30 days, but we never want you to feel you have to be out after those 30 days are up. On average, we see clients in the program for about three months. In some cases, clients even stay for five or six months.
However long you need to be in the program is what is most important to us. We want you to feel empowered in your recovery. For that reason, you need to listen to your internal clock. No one knows you better than yourself, and only you will know when you are ready to leave treatment.
The Dangers of Rushed Treatment
Some inpatient recovery programs make you feel rushed to end treatment. They may have a 30-day limit or do not offer post-treatment resources and support. In those instances, clients leave treatment prematurely.
You cannot rush treatment or recovery. It is a gradual process. Recovery is the process of rebuilding your life. If you rush that process, the foundation will not be as strong. A lot of these issues may be a result of the lack of individualized treatment. If treatment has a 30-day limit it is hard to imagine staff taking extra time to get to fully understand your needs. This is not conducive to recovery. It can cause more issues later in recovery.
It is not just treatment facilities that can make you feel rushed to recover. You may just naturally want to move quickly into recovery. Ambition is not a bad thing, but recovery is not a process to be rushed. You need to listen to your internal clock and allow yourself the time to truly reconnect your mind with your body.
When you enter recovery, you enter as a completely different version of yourself. It is normal to want to get back to normal life as quickly as you can. Although, recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. Leaving treatment even just a day or two too soon can have harmful effects. You risk putting yourself in a position to experience relapse, setting you further back than if you had taken more time to fully embrace treatment.
What Do We Mean by “Internal Clock?”
Typically, your internal clock refers to your body’s natural rhythm. One example of this is the time you naturally wake up each day. That is your internal clock at work. You live your life in a cycle, which typically consists of waking up, going to work, taking care of your family, and going to bed.
It is a cycle you repeat on a daily basis. Your body begins to naturally fall into sync with this cycle and you become accustomed to it. Another term for your internal clocks is circadian rhythms. These rhythms help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. When they become interrupted, that lifestyle becomes harder to maintain.
Long-term substance use can substantially alter your internal clocks and circadian rhythm. This substance use even has the potential to alter you molecularly. Certain cells or hormones become affected in a way that throws our internal clock off.
To accurately listen to your internal clock, you first have to get it back on track. The best way to do this is by creating a routine for yourself to follow every day while in recovery. You will eventually learn healthier habits to maintain that routine, which can be implemented into your long-term recovery and help to get your rhythms back in check.
Long-Term Recovery and Your Internal Clock
Once you get your circadian rhythms back in order, you can begin to get reacquainted with your natural concept of time. You will start gradually feeling more comfortable with the idea of leaving treatment, whether it is after 30 days or 5 months.
Specifically, within our relapse prevention program, the Lakehouse will focus on helping you develop a routine to follow post-treatment. This will help you feel more structured in early recovery, and you will be able to use your internal clock as a guide for the steps you need to take to continue recovery.
If you or someone you love is suffering from addiction, consider treatment immediately. Your circadian rhythms are likely disrupted. Recovery will help you get your internal clock straightened out. From there, you will be able to gauge how much time you think you need to stay in treatment for the best results, and eventually use your internal clock as a guide for your recovery. Do not wait another day to seek treatment. Let the Lakehouse start you on your path to recovery today.
We typically live our daily lives by following our internal clocks. Often referred to as circadian rhythms, our internal clock can be severely comprised due to long-term substance use. This makes it difficult for us to gauge how long we think we will need to be in treatment, or maintain a routine. The Lakehouse Recovery Center prioritizes the empowerment of our clients. That means letting clients take their time to achieve recovery and working with them to get their internal clock back in check. Once your rhythms are back to where they need to be, you can begin planning for long-term recovery and using your internal clock as a guide to maintaining sobriety. To learn more about the Lakehouse, our programs, and using your internal clock as a guide toward recovery, call us at (877) 762-3707. We can help you begin your path to recovery today.