According to the American Psychological Association (APA), independence is freedom from the influence or control of other individuals or groups. At its root, independence is tied to the right to seek out and lead a self-determined life. The idea of independence takes on different identities throughout your life. There are many types of independence, from being allowed to pick out your clothes as a child to getting your first car and moving out on your own. Independence is also an important part of recovery as you discover or rediscover personal, emotional, financial, and intellectual independence.
At Driftwood Recovery, we understand that the transition from structured care to a self-determined life in recovery can be daunting. We are committed to helping you develop and maintain the foundation of new healthy thinking and behavior patterns in your life. With support and accountability found in community integration and alumni, you can lead a self-determined life. Yet, you may question how community in alumni can lead to independence. Expanding your understanding of independence in recovery can provide insight into the value of connection for healing and leading a self-determined life.
What Is Psychological Independence?
Both tangible and intangible forms of independence, like stable housing and employment, start with psychological wellness. Developing psychological independence is an important component of recovery and a self-determined life. Psychological independence is an important part of psychosocial development in adolescents. Further, psychological independence consists of four aspects: behavior, values, emotions, and the underlying cognition of those aspects. Through psychological independence, you find your sense of identity, self-understanding, and self-efficacy.
Yet, how does psychological independence support a self-determined life in recovery? Typically, substance misuse and abuse contribute to an erosion of important components of independence and self-determination like impulse control and emotional regulation. Therefore, looking at the six factors of psychological independence speaks to its significance in development:
- Future orientation
- Understanding your current state
- Identify areas for growth
- Prioritize issues
- Measure goal obtainment
- Able to think and strive for future betterment
- Understanding your current state
- Appropriate human relations
- Able to emphasize and relate appropriately to others
- Value judgment/execution
- Able to make decisions and take action based on your values
- Responsibility
- You take responsibility for your actions
- Social perspective
- Able to understand social knowledge
- Ability to analyze and understand social situations in relation to social codes and rules
- Social norms
- Cultural context
- How to behave in social situations
- Ability to analyze and understand social situations in relation to social codes and rules
- You know your role in society
- Able to understand social knowledge
- Self-control
- Able to control your emotions
- Ability to see yourself and external events objectively
Looking at the components of psychological independence speaks to the importance of a self-determined life across multiple domains.
The Importance of a Self-Determined Life
Although they are not the same, independence and self-determination are integral to each other. Independence is about your ability to live without needing help; self-determination is about choice. Self-determination is your ability to make choices and take responsibility for your life. As the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) states, self-determination is the ability and right to make choices about your life.
Yet, what is the value of a self-determined life in recovery? A self-determined life is an important factor for motivation for positive psychological well-being. Through self-determination, you can find greater life satisfaction as you build the components of self-determination:
- Autonomy
- You believe you can take direct action over your life for change
- Competence
- You have control over your actions and environment to impact your life and achieve goals
- Relatedness
- You have a sense of belonging and attachment to others
- Able to relate to, understand, and care for others
- You have a sense of belonging and attachment to others
Despite the value of self-determination for motivation, growth, and change in recovery, some barriers impede leading a self-determined life.
Addressing Barriers to a Self-Determined Life
Building a new life without substances can be daunting on its own. Coupled with transitioning from a high level of care in treatment, it can make recovery feel impossible. Understanding barriers to transitioning from treatment to recovery can provide insight into how to dismantle those barriers. According to the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, some of the transition barriers to recovery include:
- Stigma
- Poor support network
- Lack of continuing care
- Neighborhood stress
- Poor job opportunities
- Limited housing options
Transition-related barriers like stigma and resource policies can feel like an uphill battle. However, with support, you can build independence and self-determination to overcome barriers to life in recovery.
Fostering Independence and Self-Determination in Recovery
Access to services and resources in an alumni program empowers:
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Employment
- Self-reliance
- Help-seeking behavior
- Structure
- Goal obtainment
Further, connection to yourself and others is a foundational part of independence and self-determination. Through connection and other resources, you foster a sense of belonging that encourages the desire and motivation for growth and change. You start to believe in your capacity to effect positive change in your life.
Finding Independence at Driftwood Recovery
Continuing care in an alumni program is an invaluable resource for fostering independence and self-determination in recovery. It is through connection and community that you are given the space to build the independent life you deserve in sustained recovery. Whether you experience challenges with substances or other mental health disorders, continuing care can support your individual needs for an independent and self-determined life. As Mental Health America (MHA) notes in “Position Statement 36: Self-Determination Initiatives,” self-determination is a hierarchy that believes you have the full capacity to manage decisions, coupled with a continuum of shared decision-making. Furthermore, within self-determination, that capacity for decision-making and continuum of shared decision-making is modified with greater support based on your capacity.
Through self-directed care in alumni, you uncover:
- Autonomy
- Agency
- Choice
- Accountability
At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to an alumni community where you can build mutually supportive relationships to heal. Through a community-driven network of peers, you are reminded that independence does not mean being alone. Connection and community are the secure base from which independence and self-determination flourish.
The transition from structured care to independence can feel overwhelming. However, fostering independence and self-determination can be invaluable to recovery. You can build autonomy, competence, and relatedness to support motivation and belonging for a purposeful life through independence and self-determination. Yet, barriers like stigma, poor social support, and poor resources can impede recovery. However, learning how to build or rebuild an independent and self-determined life is not impossible. With access to services and resources in an alumni program, you can build connections to yourself and others to heal. Thus, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to building an alumni family where you can build self-reliance and community to thrive. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.