Addiction undoubtedly takes a toll on the body, but other aspects of life also suffer especially the bank account. Chronic, prolonged substance misuse is expensive! Itโs an all-consuming disease that starts to strip away a personโs ability to function in society. In addiction recovery, patients work hard to rebuild their health, but also their wealth, as many are plagued with debt or have lost their ability to work. Learning to handle money properly and plan for a life in recovery will require focus and determination, but there is a very rewarding light at the end of the tunnel.ย ย
Money and Relapse Triggersย
Traditionally, the biggest addiction triggers are people, places, and things, but there is a fourth one on the list: money. Many who have struggled with addiction have spent their life savings, plunged into deep debts, and some have found themselves homeless and selling their possessions to fund their addiction. Through the course of these hardships, many develop an unhealthy relationship with money, meaning that any funds they come across immediately go towards their substance of choice. Poor money management in recovery could lead to temptation and triggers once steady employment starts filling an account with funds needed for essentials and budgetingโnot for drugs or alcohol.ย
Employment and Paymentย
While overall health and well-being are top priorities in recovery, many want to return to work as soon as possible. No matter how menial or sporadic, jobs fill up time, keep boredom at bay, and create an income stream to pay for lifeโs basics. However, jumping into a career or full-time employment too soon could cause recovery to backslide due to unmitigated triggers and too much stress. People re-entering the workforce while in recovery are highly encouraged to pace themselves and not solely focus on amassing as much money as they can, but instead find a good balance that wonโt threaten their sobriety while still fulfilling their desire to work.ย
Spending and Budgetingย ย
There are numerous resources for people in recovery that need help getting their financial situation in order, but a handful of simple steps can get the ball rolling in the right direction:ย
- Make a list of debts owed to family and friendsย
- Separate needs from wants, prioritizing rent, debt, and essentialsย
- Creating a weekly and monthly budgetย
- Establishing a savings bank account with limited access to large sums of cash via debit cardย
- Keeping daily and weekly cash amounts stored in sealed envelopesย ย
- Reaching out to free financial planning programs through banksย
- Negotiating with creditors for feasible payback plans through the bankย
- Discussing legal advice with attorneys regarding bankruptcy, free for low-income individualsย ย
- Setting up monthly and yearly savings goalsย
- Limiting frivolous spending and allowing for โtreatsโ only when goals or milestones are metย
HCRC helps thousands of people treat their substance use disorder with medication-assisted treatment and substance use counseling. Programs that combine medication and counseling have been shown to increase a patientโs chances of achieving long-lasting recovery and improved health. To learn more about the programs at HCRC or to speak with an intake administrator, call or message the nearest location today.ย ย
