Poor money management and overspending can lead to lots of stress and anxiety. Stress can lead to addiction relapse. Learning to manage money wisely takes time. Addiction will affect so many areas of your life but if you are able to manage money better, recovery will be much easier to handle.
Addiction and Money
If you struggle with addiction, you may be bad at managing your money. The brain that is taken over by addiction is focused on what you want when you can get it, which is usually right now. People with addiction may spend money as soon as it enters their hands. There is no reason to believe in recovery you will magically have skills to cope with money just because you no longer struggle with addiction in that moment. Changing your lifestyle means also changing your mindset about how you handle resources.
Relapse Trigger
One reason financial management skills are so important for recovering from addiction is that money is a common relapse trigger. When money is managed poorly, it can cause debt, which may increase stress and lead to relapse. Having more money as a result of becoming sober can be a trigger for relapse.
Learning to Manage Money
Taking responsibility for your personal finances can feel overwhelming. Shame and guilt surround past irresponsibility that can leave you feeling helpless. Finding a plan for how to cope is the first way to realistically deal with finances in recovery. Ask someone that is trusted to begin the process, then try the following:
- Start and follow a budget
- Learn the basics of budgeting, tracking and saving money with tools and resources to help you
- Write down purchases and avoid using credit or debit cards for awhile
- Separate needs from wants
- Instant gratification must become a thing of the past to focus on proper money management
- Make a savings goal to pay off debt and manage inflow of money
The benefits of good money management can put you on the path to greater success in the future.. It prevents stress from building up and is a great way to take your journey forward into recovery for the long-term.
Oceanfront Recovery offers you support in all facets of your recovery, including managing resources and finances. If you are struggling with addiction and need support, we have premier facilities in beautiful Laguna Beach with top notch staff ready to assist you with your needs. Contact us to find out how we can help: 877-279-1777.
