Managing Finances to Prevent Relapse

Addiction affects every aspect of a person’s life, from their emotional, mental, and physical health to their relationships, employment, and more. However, one of the most profound impacts comes in how addiction affects a person’s finances, especially as a person’s budget is compromised to accommodate the increasing use of drugs or alcohol. Alumni of Hawaii Island Recovery’s dedicated drug rehab programs in Hawaii will continue to explore how finances affect their sobriety, with financial freedoms being both something to celebrate as well as something to monitor in recovery to ensure each person is managing finances effectively to create a budget that prevents relapse and supports hard-earned sobriety. 

The financial side of addiction is crucial to consider throughout recovery. For many, continued spending on addictive substances coupled with a compromised workplace performance or employment can leave an individual in tight financial situations, or can even birth interpersonal resentments as loved ones feel compelled to cover these financial burdens.

Diverting funds from other parts of a person’s budget – such as rent, groceries, and more – can further these challenges as a person compromises more of their health to continue engaging with drugs or alcohol. It is also possible that an individual may not be aware of exactly how much they are spending on drugs or alcohol. Addressing the effects of addiction and managing finances in recovery is paramount to not only overcoming the impact of addiction on a person’s finances but also creating a plan to regain financial stability as an alumnus.

While learning to manage finances and create effective budgets is a necessary skill learned throughout treatment at Hawaii Island Recovery, money can still be a massive stressor for many. For some, it can be intimidating to create these kinds of budgets, while others may not know where to start or have doubts about their ability to adhere to established budgeting guidelines. 

This can be further complicated as a person embraces new financial freedoms. While financial freedom in sobriety can be a great way to express agency and truly pursue new interests, hobbies, and outlets, this kind of freedom can also be risky. Newfound financial freedoms, such as reentering the workforce or getting a raise, coupled with the availability of addictive substances outside of a curated recovery space and newfound stresses or triggers that may not have been apparent before, can make it easier to relapse back into self-destructive routines. 

Embracing new skills for managing finances in sobriety is crucial for preventing relapse, and working with family, friends, professionals, and sober peers in continued outpatient treatment can be instrumental in addressing financial obligations without turning back to the use of drugs or alcohol. Having an array of various strategies can further ensure that each alumnus is taking the best approach to their financial freedom while focusing on their hard-earned sobriety. 

Friends and family are amazing resources in recovery. It is common for alumni just graduating from a dedicated addiction treatment program to be unsure where to even begin when it comes to managing finances, especially since a person’s budget beforehand may have been dominated by drugs or alcohol at the expense of other areas of life. 

Having an outside perspective is necessary. While it can be intimidating to put oneself in a vulnerable state while talking about finances, working with family, friends, and other supports to model an effective budget can be a great launching point for not only managing finances but also understanding the skills, decision-making, and prioritization that makes up that budget. 

Impulsivity can be costly, and limiting impulse spending where possible can ensure that each alumnus can see exactly how much money is needed in each area of their life. Making and adhering to shopping lists and avoiding social media or online shopping can be great ways to limit impulse spending and allow those in recovery to spend only as much as intended in each area. 

Managing finances isn’t just about cutting costs wherever possible. Knowing why an individual is making decisions in certain areas can help reinforce financial decisions. Allowing oneself to budget for rewards upon reaching sober milestones or other accomplishments, hobbies, interests, and more is paramount. This can ensure that alumni can reward themselves in a way that excites them as well as ensure that they can maintain a healthy focus on their next sober milestone.

Having short-term financial goals can be instrumental in seeing how effective each person is at managing finances in sobriety. For some, saving a predetermined amount of money per month in a special account can help gauge success, while others may have particular goals in mind, such as tending to specific debts, or working toward a unique reward. Keeping these goals focused can help limit unnecessary spending and can contextualize urges and cravings that may tempt a person to reengage with drugs or alcohol from a financial standpoint. 

Managing finances is difficult, and working with peers and professionals alike is necessary. However, while sobriety does come with exciting financial freedoms, navigating these freedoms and ensuring that the opportunity is used to further personal goals is necessary to combat urges and prioritize each alumnus’s transformed sober life.

The financial side of addiction and recovery is complicated. Having the support of our drug rehab programs in Hawaii as an alumnus can help you explore the skills necessary to regain financial stability and promote a healthy approach to exploring your sober identity. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we understand that addiction is a disease that affects every aspect of daily life, from mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health to finances, relationships, and more. Each of our programs is designed to address each of these needs, creating a unique and holistic approach to recovery and sobriety for sustainable success. For more information on how we can support your financial stability, call to speak to us today at (866) 390-5070.