Healthy boundaries are essential to having a good relationship with your loved ones and peers. Usually, people learn about setting boundaries as young children. However, there are times when a child is taught that their boundaries don’t matter through interactions with toxic peers or guardians. It’s especially true for people who are survivors of childhood abuse or neglect and find themselves unable to say “no” or set firm boundaries.
Of course, childhood abuse and neglect is an underlying cause of several mental health conditions, such as addiction. The risk of a relapse increases when a person is exposed to triggering situations that exasperate their mental health conditions. Sometimes, these triggers can result from proximity to toxic or unaware loved ones and peers who may inadvertently or deliberately behave in ways that can trigger a relapse. Knowing how to navigate these relationships and setting healthy boundaries is key to protecting an individual’s recovery and preventing relapse.
That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, clients are taught how to understand, recognize, and establish healthy boundaries with their loved ones. Not all relationships are toxic, but the general misinformation about mental health disorders in society can often lead to inadvertent harmful behaviors. It’s important for everyone, not just those in treatment and recovery, to understand the value of healthy boundaries.
What Are Healthy Boundaries?
Healthy boundaries are defined as a set of personal rules or protocols that protect your health and establish healthy interactions with loved ones and peers. As a person grows and develops, their boundaries will evolve, too. Boundaries can be deeply personal or specific, but they all serve a role in helping the individual set rules that respect their personhood. There are universal healthy boundaries that children learn through interactions with their peers. Examples include:
- Asking permission before touching another person or their belongings
- Talking through problems when upset instead of defaulting to hitting or other forms of physical violence
- Respecting a person’s desire for time alone or privacy
As a person enter adulthood, they find themselves having to create custom boundaries to suit their personal needs. It’s especially important for those in recovery who must be vigilant about triggers that may increase the chances of a relapse. To do so, establishing healthy boundaries with loved ones is important. Examples of such healthy boundaries include:
- Forbidding loved ones and peers from bringing addictive substances into your home
- Asking loved ones and peers not to bring you or invite you to establishments where substance use is normalized, such as bars
- Establishing that no means no and not continue to pressure you after declining to engage in substance use
It is always okay to set boundaries. Anyone who tells you it’s wrong to set boundaries usually has an ulterior motive that isn’t good for you. Everyone is entitled to privacy, body autonomy, and basic respect. Healthy boundaries allow you to not just protect yourself but also forge healthier bonds with your loved ones.
Establishing Healthy Relationships for a Strong Recovery
Driftwood Recovery is a facility that strongly believes in the importance of loved ones in a client’s recovery journey. Care is taken to help families and clients work through their troubles and establish a deeper understanding. Programs like the Courageous Family Program and therapies such as family therapy work to strengthen bonds and clear up misunderstandings. Having an established and extensive support network is one way a client can prevent relapse and stay sober.
However, healthy boundaries are still important, even with an established support network. Sometimes, it takes searching deep within you to discover why you may be reluctant to set or recognize healthy boundaries. To assist in this, clients at Driftwood Recovery participate in psychotherapies designed to work through an individual’s thought process. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) especially can help clients recognize and change unhealthy thoughts and behavioral patterns. This and recognizing the need for healthy and supportive relationships is the first step to setting boundaries of your own.
How Do I Learn to Set Healthy Boundaries?
Once a client recognizes the need to have healthy boundaries, they now must work on setting and sticking with them. This is easier said than done, especially if the individual lacks confidence or is exposed to toxic relationships. To build confidence, Driftwood Recovery has clients participate in activities such as team-building exercises, therapeutic recreation, and self-expression. Recognizing that you are an individual worthy of respect and consideration is the foundation behind setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.
Clients participate in exercises, such as role-playing, to practice skills that will keep them in recovery. Part of setting healthy boundaries is learning how to say no, recognize and resist peer pressure, and communicate effectively. Therapies such as group therapy offer further opportunities to practice setting boundaries. Group therapy had the bonus of giving clients access to shared wisdom and experiences that can help them create boundaries that feel right to them.
Of course, the staff at Driftwood Recovery is always happy to help clients set healthy boundaries for themselves. With a wide range of available experts, it’s easy to get advice for specific boundaries that will best suit the needs of the client. Boundaries for those recovering from addiction, for example, may look different from boundaries designed for those recovering from depression. Healthy boundaries that encourage mutual respect and understanding, however, are fairly universal in their use and importance.
Receiving treatment at Driftwood Recovery isn’t just a way to recover from mental health conditions. It’s also a place to gain self-confidence and recognize one’s inherent value as a human being. Once you understand that you are worthy of compassion and respect, setting and maintaining healthy boundaries becomes second nature.
Setting healthy boundaries is important to maintain healthy relationships with others. It’s especially important for those in recovery. It’s easy for a friend or other loved one to jeopardize your sobriety when healthy boundaries are not in place. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, we work to set all of our clients up for success during and after treatment. Learning how to navigate relationships and set boundaries that protect your mental health and recovery is only one of the ways Driftwood Recovery prepares clients for life after treatment. Don’t wait to learn how to have healthier relationships and safeguard your recovery. To learn more, call Driftwood Recovery today at (512) 759-8330.