Becoming an Influence to Those Around You After Treatment

After going through the process of treatment and recovery, you have most likely learned a lot about yourself and what strategies work well for your progress. You might have been presented with mentors throughout this recovery process who gave you advice, related to you, and helped you through each obstacle. From your own experience and those shared with you by mentors and peers, you have gained insight into the progression of healing, recovery, and growth. How can you use that knowledge to help others going through a similar obstacle?

Offer Support

If you know someone in your surrounding community who is struggling with a similar issue you have overcome, or are in the process of overcoming, reach out to them. Let them know you understand and offer to be an advocate. Often, people going through treatment need someone to listen to them and understand them. Offering support can help them focus on their recovery and not feel alone in the process.

Share Your Knowledge

After going through recovery, you know first-hand what it is like. You have experienced all the positive and negative sides of recovery and have a story to share. You have most likely discovered what works for you, what doesn’t, and why. You can share this personal information with individuals going through a similar issue, and by doing so, you may be able to help them find what strategies work well for them.

It is not uncommon for individuals who have completed treatment to obtain jobs in a treatment center or within the field of psychology. These individuals can potentially be some of the best candidates for these positions because they can relate to the clients personally and understand what they are going through. It can be a positive experience to see how your journey can positively influence those currently going through recovery.

Spread Positivity

While you can be an amazing resource to individuals going through the recovery process themselves, you can also be an influential member of your community as a whole. The first action to achieve this is to be kind to everyone. Tell a random stranger to have a good day, check up on people, and keep a smile on your face doing it. You never know when one small positive interaction will have a drastic effect on another individual’s life. Spread positivity wherever you go.

The act of spreading kindness and happiness to others around you increases the levels of serotonin in your brain, causing your level of happiness to increase. By providing care for other individuals, you are positively affecting your own mental health in the process. It is a satisfying feeling to know you made someone smile or helped make their day a little better.

Do Community Outreach

Search your community for opportunities to influence others. There are many volunteer opportunities available or events that focus on mental health recovery. Volunteering with some form of event or spreading awareness on issues you are passionate about can help teach others and provide resources for those in need. Actively participating in community events can instill a sense of appreciation for your community and the work everyone puts in to create and maintain it.

In Orange County, California, there are a few resources available to help you get involved with your community. The Mental Health Association of Orange County lists a variety of volunteer opportunities. Keep an eye out for events in your area that spread awareness about community outreach openings and participate if the schedule meets your availability.

Meet New People

By getting involved with your community and working towards helping others, you are provided with many more opportunities to meet new people, which can connect you with a social network and help you avoid self-isolation. After treatment, it is crucial to keep a strong focus on your recovery and not allow yourself to fall back into old habits. When you find a social network in which you are positively influencing those around you, you will find that they positively impact you as well.

You have learned a variety of skills that can be taught to others. Share your story with others and make it clear that you are a resource they can follow up with if they ever need extra support. You have an opportunity to pay it forward from the support you had in treatment and allow others to feel supported as well. It only takes simple actions of kindness to make the world a better place as a whole. 

After going through the treatment process, you have most likely developed a strong skill set that helped you get to where you are today. There are many ways you can use your skills to become an influential person to those surrounding you. After overcoming the obstacle of treatment, you can relate to those who are currently in the process of healing. Provide them with helpful suggestions and let those going through this journey know that you support them. Share your knowledge of your treatment and help others get through it, just as you did. Spread a positive attitude to everyone you interact with and do your part to help make the world a better place. Many individuals will be inspired by your success in recovery and be motivated by your hard work. To learn more about how to influence those around you after treatment, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.