COVID-19 has changed the concept of “normal” for nearly everyone in the United States. Many people may be struggling with extended periods spent indoors or without seeing certain friends or family members.
If someone you love is currently in recovery for substance addiction, you may feel a bit of extra concern regarding how well they’re adapting to this strange new normal. Whether or not you’re able to be with them in person, there are many ways you can continue to support them through their recovery in a time of social distancing.
Schedule Times to Spend Together
Thanks to the magic of technology, you don’t have to be self-isolating together in order to spend time with your loved one! Here are a few ideas for virtual hangouts.
Find a series on Netflix or Hulu that you can watch on your computers from your respective homes. Connect to your loved one on a service like Discord or FaceTime Audio, pop your headphones in, and hit play at the same time.
Schedule a weekly coffee date. You may not be able to meet up at your local Starbucks right now, but you can give them a video call using Skype or Zoom, brew your own cup of joe, and spend some time catching up.
Start a new hobby together. Maybe you’ve both always wanted to learn French or get in better shape. Now’s the time to start! Take advantage of the language learning services offering free programs or free at-home workouts and check in every so often to practice conversing in French or share your fitness progress.
Encourage Them to Take Advantage of Online Recovery Meetings
The idea of community is always important for overcoming addiction. This is truer than ever now that many people are feeling lonely and isolated due to the pandemic. Luckily, many recovery groups know this and have begun offering online group meetings until it’s safe to hold meetings in person again. We’ve put together a few resources here.
No matter how long your loved one has been in recovery for, taking advantage of an online meeting once in a while is a good idea for helping to prevent any possibility of relapsing. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing stress and anxiety for many people. For your loved one in recovery, it may be better to be safe than sorry.
This is a tough time for everyone, especially some people who are recovering from addiction. However, with support and encouragement from you and their recovery community, your loved one can still successfully recover for life.