Help addicts handle life after addiction with life skills lessons.
For addicts, maintaining their addiction can dominate their lives. Once addicts get clean handling life with the absence of the drug or behavior of choice can be difficult. Overcoming an addiction requires a lifestyle change, and life skills lessons are often necessary to make this change possible. By helping former addicts learn basic life skills you can help them handle freedom and make the transition less painful.
Instructions
1. Help the individual secure housing. Getting a place to live is the first step towards independent living. Help him peruse the housing ads and select a place that fits both his needs and his budget. This step can be scary for the recovering addict.
2. Work with the recovering addict to set goals. Help the person prioritize by assisting with setting goals. Recovering addicts face many steps ahead to get their lives headed in a positive direction. Help create a list of all of plans and rank them in order of importance.
3. Create a schedule to help the person properly manage his or her time. Use a dry erase or poster board to create a daily schedule, which helps create stability. This also helps recovering addicts use their time effectively and productively.
4. Regularly share meals with the person you are working with. If the recovering addict is not an adept cook, some general lessons would be helpful. You can work as the person's sous chef if he or she has well-developed culinary skills. Sharing meals helps recovering addicts with feelings of isolation that often accompany the transition to a sober life.
5. Assist the recovering addict in setting up and maintaining a bank account and budget. When the individual has saved up some money, take a trip to the bank to set up the account. Demonstrate keep a hand-written or computerized budget to ensure that money is well spent and financial obligations are met.
6. Teach the individual computer skills or help him enroll in a computer skills course. Many occupations require at least some computer skills. Helping recovering addicts develop these technology skills means they are preparing for their futures. Check out local libraries or community colleges for free or inexpensive computer courses.
7. Take steps toward creating a resume. A well-written resume is often needed to get any job interviews and helps candidates land a position. Using a word processing program and template, work with the individual to build a resume and polish it prior to submitting it to potential employers.
8. Make it clear that the recovering addict can contact you in a time of need. Relapse is more likely if the addict does not have a support system. Be as supportive as possible. By doing so, you can a partner in recovery.
Tags: recovering addict, computer skills, recovering addicts, bank account, helps recovering