Going to recovery meetings is an important part of learning how to manage your addiction. You’ll typically begin going to your first group meetings during your time in an addiction treatment program. These early meetings help you learn how to lean on the support of others, and you’ll find that talking to other people with addictions helps you to benefit from the perspectives of others who are at different stages of their journey. As a newly recovering addict, you’ll have questions about what to expect down the road. Talking to long-timers can help you get answers about things such as how to avoid temptation when you start working again. While you’ll find that you look forward to going to these meetings, you might also experience a few hiccups as you get used to the new routine. Asking what if I miss a meeting is a sign that you care deeply about following your recovery plan, and you can rest assured that you will be able to stay on track with your recovery provided that you get back in there.
Sometimes, a missed meeting signifies that you’re starting to feel confident in your recovery. You might feel like you don’t need to keep going to meetings week after week, or you might be frustrated with seeing a lack of progress. While you might not always notice the effects of a meeting right away, talking to the people in your group provides you with these amazing benefits.
- reinforce what you learned in rehab
- fill up free time in your schedule that leads to temptation
- meet other people who prefer sobriety
- get help dealing with new stressors in your life
- strengthen your skills by serving as a mentor
Group meetings help to maintain momentum in your recovery. You’ll cover lots of information during your first part of addiction treatment, but it is impossible to learn everything within just a few short months. This is why you’ll be recommended to attend group meetings as part of your after-care program. There, you’ll be able to talk about the new events that are occurring in your life, some of which you might not have been able to foresee when you were in rehab.
You’ll also be able to fill up those big gaps of time where you might otherwise be at home focusing on your cravings. Just being in a sober environment for the length of time that you attend a meeting is helpful for preventing you from giving in to temptation. Finally, you’ll also find that your experience in meetings begins to change as you get stronger. One day, you might even serve as a mentor or sponsor to someone who is new just like people who helped you. Being able to give back to your sober community is a huge part of moving forward with your recovery.
Create a Recovery Plan That Fits Your Needs
If you’ve missed a meeting, then you could be more vulnerable to a relapse. You can counteract this effect by going to the next meeting as soon as possible. If it will be some time before the next meeting, then you can contact a counselor or member of your group to brush up on your sobriety skills. Taking some type of action sends signals to your brain that you are still committed to staying sober. Plus, you’ll be able to get immediate support if you are dealing with as stressful event in your life.
Missing a meeting could also signify that something isn’t working with your current recovery plan. For example, you might’ve switched jobs, and making it to the meetings is harder than it used to be. Or, you might have had a slip up and knew that you couldn’t show up drunk to the meeting. Taking an honest look at what happened might reveal additional things you need to do to prevent this from happening again. For instance, you might need to go back to rehab to renew your ability to stay sober. Or, you might need to pick a different meeting that fits your schedule better. Revising your recovery plan helps you to shape it to fit your developing needs.
Did you miss a meeting or fall off track with your recovery plan? We’ll help you figure out what to do next when you call us at 833-680-0165.