Companion animals can be great for the journey of recovery and sobriety. They can bring lots of joy and peace if you are needing extra support. Sobriety is no picnic, so you need people by your side who are willing to help you process your emotions and the experiences you are having. Learn more about the benefits of companion animals and how they can help you navigate recovery with the right focus in mind.
Taking Care of Others
Something you may not have thought about while in the throes of addiction is that you were only thinking about yourself. Pretty much all the time, addiction is going to take your focus away from those you love and make you focus just on yourself. Companion animals require responsibility. Learning responsibility is part of recovery so you can regain control of your life and the adult responsibilities you have to face. Animals require time and attention. Having a companion animal allows the opportunity to learn how to maintain responsibility while supporting a pet, including:
- Buying and serving food on a schedule
- Walking
- Cleaning a litter box
- Taking to the vet for check ups
- Playing
Mood Balancer
Animals are great at helping to reduce anxiety and elevate mood. They help you find emotional support and healing in recovery. You need to stay positive so you can focus on recovery and animals help you see the lighter side of things with their playful energy and spirits. Emotional support animals can come alongside you as well to help you find peace through difficult times.
Confidence Booster
One of the things that is hard in recovery is keeping your confidence up. When you feel confident in yourself, you can overcome so many things. A companion animal helps you feel accepted. They allow you to be yourself and meet your own needs while also meeting some of your needs by being your friend. Animals have a great spirit and are able to meet you where you are at rather than try to change you.
The key to getting a companion animal is making sure you have time and energy for it in recovery. Don’t do it too soon in recovery because it may be too early, but otherwise it may be good to consider with your sober companions what is right for you and what type of pet you may want to have to support your journey.
Oceanfront will help you kick addiction to the curb with our premier beachfront community in Laguna Beach. We are founded on the principle of providing the best in care and services at affordable prices. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 877-279-1777
