The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) created the eight dimensions of wellness to more accurately describe what it means to be in a state of wellness, particularly for people with a history of mental health and/or substance use disorders.

According to SAMSHA, the eight dimensions of wellness are as follows:

1. Social
2. Environmental
3. Intellectual
4. Spiritual
5. Occupational
6. Physical
7. Emotional
8. Financial

Recovering addicts who strive to make healthy choices across all eight dimensions of wellness may find it much easier to achieve and maintain a state of physical and mental health throughout their ongoing addiction recovery journeys. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at why this could be.

8 Dimensions of Wellness for Recovering Addicts

1. Emotional Wellness

To a large extent, your emotional wellbeing depends on your willingness and dedication to practice the healthy coping skills you learned in your addiction rehab program. This is also an essential component of relapse prevention.

2. Physical Wellness

Exercise is a great way to repair the damage of long-term drug or alcohol abuse and triggers a natural release of dopamine in the brain’s reward center.

3. Spiritual Wellness

Sometimes life is tough. Your spirituality could give you a sense of purpose that may make it easier to cope with difficult situations.

4. Occupational Wellness

If you find satisfaction in your job, consider yourself lucky. People like you often believe their lives feel more rewarding and fulfilling. Not so lucky? Think about volunteering in your community – either by donating your time to those in need or by offering your unique skill set to make life better for the people around you.

5. Intellectual Wellness

Pursing activities you find interesting is a great way to keep your brain active and to help restore the damage caused by habitual drug or alcohol use.

6. Environmental Wellness

Do what you can to make your living arrangements as pleasant and as stimulating as possible, because your physical environment plays a huge role in your well-being.

7. Social Wellness

Social isolation is one of the most common addiction relapse triggers. If you aren’t comfortable meeting new people – and some people aren’t – try to maintain contact with the friends or family you already have.

8. Financial Wellness

Our personal finances are huge source of stress and anxiety. And, unfortunately, we can’t make it go away overnight. However, the key to feeling more financially secure is to take small steps each day. This can help you stay in control while you chip away at your debt.

Remember the 8 Dimensions of Wellness During Your Recovery

Our individualized drug rehab program focuses on treating the individual as a whole – not just a set of addiction-related symptoms. By dedicating yourself to all eight dimensions of wellness, you can help set yourself up for a long-lasting recovery. If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, Footprints Beachside Recovery is here to help. Call today by clicking below, or view our gallery to see our facility.