When leaving addiction rehab, the stresses of leading a sober life in a world that once housed your addicted life can seem insurmountable. In addition, the financial strain of missing workdays to attend addiction treatment can feel overwhelming.
Because addiction recovery treatment not only demands mental and physical energy but also puts a strain on your monies, below are some key ideas for managing your finances in your new, sober lifestyle.
Most important, if you fear you’ll use your money to purchase substances…
…give your money to someone you trust, perhaps a spouse or close friend. That way you must explain to them why you need the money before they can hand it over to you. There’s also the option of putting your money into a bank account without an ATM card attached to it. That way you have to physically go to the bank in order to access your funds.
If you’re getting the money out with the abuse of alcohol or substances in mind, the time and courage it takes to go to a bank or to ask a friend for it will hopefully be enough to make you rethink.
Take personal inventory
Taking inventory of your finances can be a discouraging experience. Try doing it with a friend – someone who can keep you motivated and upbeat, and who can lend an objective eye to the process.
Separate your needs from your wants
One of the most important guidelines for creating a budget is to clearly differentiate the items you need to buy – such as food and housing – from the items you want to buy. Doing this will also help to combat an addicted mindset, which might categorize alcohol or certain substances under the ‘need’ category.
Stay alert to signs of overspending
Excessive spending might be a sign of a nearing addiction relapse. Stay alert to certain spending urges (especially the desire to buy unnecessary and lavish items), which may be your mind saying that you need to consider a return to addiction rehab.
