Life skills are the various techniques we use to take care of ourselves. We need skills like budgeting, grocery shopping, cooking, personal hygiene, etiquette, communication, resume building, interviewing, laundry, and other activities to maintain our lives and manage our stress. If we are wealthy enough, we can hire someone to do it all for us and never have to worry about it. If we aren’t, we have to learn to take care of ourselves. Most people see a focus on life skills development in treatment for rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction as unnecessary. However, they would be surprised what little skill development many people with drug and alcohol addiction have, or in the least, how long it has been since they put those skills to use. Depending on age, circumstance, and life condition, there is a good chance someone has never kept a budget, doesn’t know how to make themselves breakfast, isn’t aware of the way they should clean themselves, and has never set regular dental appointments. Ogoing health of mind and body is critical for sustaining sobriety and recovery from addiction. Beyond that there is a theme of self-efficacy in building life skills. Addiction and alcoholism are riddled with shame and guilt, destroying confidence and self-worth. Not being able to do simple things to take care of yourself feels humiliating and hopeless. If you can’t do something simple like cook breakfast, how can you expect to stay sober? This is a common mindset of someone in recovery. Developing life skills is a practice in patience, humility, surrender, discipline, dedication, learning, and growth. Recovery advocates a philosophy of progress rather than perfection. Overcome with shame and frustration due to an inability to manage basic life skills, an addict or an alcoholic might be inspired to go back to the skills they think they can do well. Often that includes harmful behaviors like drinking, using drugs, selling drugs, or resorting to illegal activities.
Building confidence in autonomy is critical for survival in sobriety. At Oceanfront Recovery, our programs are dedicated to helping men and women build self-efficacy and confidence in their ability to live freely in recovery without drugs and alcohol. For information on our full continuum of residential care, call us today: 877.279.1777
