Creating healthy boundaries with friends and family is an important part of your recovery journey. However, some may see your dependence on substances as a flaw that can be fixed with willpower and determination and therefore neglect your needs to manage addiction healthily. 

Why Should You Establish Boundaries?

Establishing and adhering to strict boundaries is an essential part of the process. It can involve staying away from people, places, and things. Maintaining control over your environment is an important tool in your toolbox. Some reasons include:

• To stay active: The changes that occur in the brain as a result of using substances make it difficult for an individual to grasp the concept of self-control. Establishing healthy limits and sticking to them will help you stay active and engaged in life. Avoiding any substances will help establish healthy relationships with other people, which can promote connection and healthier outlooks on life.
• To improve mental health: Substance use can be linked with poor mental health. Establishing healthy boundaries and sticking to them can help improve your mental health and restore your confidence. When you start feeling better, you can start doing better. This is a great step towards a higher quality of life.
• Combat stress & depression: Stress and depression are two common mental health issues associated with substance use. Establishing healthy boundaries can help reduce stress and depression. Taking care of your mental health is important when getting sober and staying sober.
• Have a sense of purpose: While in active addiction, it can be difficult to know what your purpose in life is. Finding something that you are passionate about again can create that lost purpose. Establishing a boundary and sticking to it will give you a clear sense of direction and help you to find your place. Having a clear idea of your values and goals will help you establish healthy limits and know when you have achieved them. Setting SMART goals can boost your self-esteem and give you a clear picture of your progress.
• Be more empathetic: Establishing healthy boundaries can help you understand how your actions may affect others. This can help you feel more empathy. Establishing healthy boundaries can also help you see things from the other person’s point of view.
• Boundaries support structure: Establishing healthy boundaries and adhering to them will give you more structure in your life. Regardless of whether you are in recovery or simply want to lead a healthier lifestyle, creating and following boundaries is essential to providing the necessary structure to achieve your goals.

Boundaries to Gain More Confidence

Self-doubt is one of the main issues facing people in recovery. Establishing healthy boundaries and adhering to them can help you gain more confidence, especially if you are used to relying on substances for confidence. Getting back out there and participating in the community can help you build connections and strengthen your confidence. Gaining your confidence back can help you reduce your desire to use substances. 

Boundaries to Experience Life to the Fullest

In the same way that addiction can make you less empathetic, substances can also make you less connected to the world. Establishing healthy boundaries and adhering to them can help you experience life and make the most out of it. Boundaries can also help you determine how much you need to relax and how much you need to participate. Establishing boundaries and sticking to them will help you make the most out of your life.

Breaking the cycle of addiction is not easy. The necessary changes to maintain sobriety and a healthy lifestyle require some determination. Establishing healthy boundaries and sticking to them will be worth it in the end. You are worth the fight and deserve a life of peace and serenity.

What Are Some Examples of Healthy Boundaries?

Ultimately, boundaries are necessary for helping you and your family and friends put your recovery needs first. They protect your recovery by establishing what you can and cannot allow. Some ways to get started with setting boundaries include:

• Know the difference between empower and enable. Sometimes family and friends think they are helping when really their enabling and preventing you from gaining a self-sufficient lifestyle. 
• Learn to say no. It’s not about their feelings; if you deem a situation as being a threat to your sobriety, say no.
• Create a safe environment. If you live with others that partake in substances, ask them not to bring them into the house, or at least keep them out of places where they are easily accessible.
• Participate in peer-supported activities. Continuing to find a community of peers that share your experiences will strengthen your support structure. It will also help hold you accountable and reinforce you to stay firm on your boundaries.