The new year brings the promise of a fresh start. For teens in recovery from co-occurring addiction and mental health issues, resolutions take on a whole new significance. At Foothills at Red Oak Recovery, we want to help your son set five mental health resolutions to continue the path to sober living. Therefore, we have put together five resolutions to help maintain their sober living for a lifetime. If your son struggles with mental health and addiction, our team can help mental health resolutions for the New Year. To learn more about our services, reach out to Foothills at Red Oak Recovery today at 866.300.5275.
Mental Health Resolutions for the New Year
Maybe you have set resolutions in the past without much success. It’s hard enough to keep resolutions for yourself, let alone encouraging your teenage son to make them. If he sets realistic goals, you can help your son monitor his progress and stick to his recovery plan. Maintaining a healthy attitude and safeguarding his mental health can help him avoid a relapse.
In the following sections, we provide five mental health resolutions that reduce stress and promote good living habits.
1. Exercise 3 Times a Week
Some adolescents and teens are more active than others. If your son abused drugs for an extended period, it might have compromised his physical health. With regular exercise, he can begin to rebuild his body and focus on healthy living. Setting specific goals increases his chances of success. Here are a few examples of measurable exercise goals:
- Exercise three times a week for at least half an hour.
- Go for a run every other day for 30 minutes.
- Lift weights three times a week at the gym.
2. Try One New Thing Every Month
Cravings for drugs and alcohol consumes the life of children who become addicted. Finding new hobbies and interests can keep your son’s mind off of substance abuse. By trying one new activity every month in the new year, he can begin to explore healthier options. Additionally, this is a great way to meet new people to fill the void left by substance use disorders.
3. Journal Every Day
After leaving our substance treatment center, your son can monitor his progress and express his thoughts and feelings by writing them down. This mental health resolution can keep adolescents and teens focused on learning about themselves and setting new sobriety goals. By journaling every day, he can keep track of strategies that work and do not work for future reference.
4. Touch Base With Loved Ones Regularly
These days, family members may move far away to pursue jobs or life opportunities. This could leave your son feeling at a loss if he was incredibly close to a grandparent, aunt, or cousin. However, modern technology makes it easy to video chat or text across vast distances. Healthy family relationships help your son build a support system that he will need on his journey to recovery. At Foothills at Red Oak Recovery, we include family therapy services in our recovery programs so the whole family can begin to heal.
5. Develop Strategies for Positive Thinking
Our holistic therapy options allow clients to accept their thoughts and feelings, process them without judgment, and shift to healthy habits and behaviors.
Here are a few examples of evidence-based and holistic therapies available at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Adventure therapy
- Individual therapy
We can help your son examine toxic thoughts without guilt or shame. Confronting these thoughts can help overcome them in healthy ways and promote improved mental health.
Seek Substance Abuse Treatment for Boys at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
Your son’s mental health is a precious commodity, and it is critical to treat it as such. While making mental health resolutions is a good first step, it may also be necessary to find a mental health treatment center. Otherwise, your teen may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as drug or alcohol use.
At our adolescent treatment center, we offer a range of evidence-based and experiential treatment options, which we tailor to the unique needs of the teens we treat. For instance, we can treat conditions such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Disordered eating
- Substance use disorders
We will work with your child to improve his mental health and overall ability to cope with life’s challenges. We can also help you, your partner, and other family members support your teen’s health. If you’re ready to help your child improve his mental health, Foothills at Red Oak Recovery is here to help.
At Foothills at Red Oak Recovery, we have licensed therapists and caring staff members who specialize in teen and adolescent substance abuse and mental health challenges. Making mental health resolutions can help your son begin the new year with positivity in his heart. Contact us at 866.300.5275, or contact us online for more information on our services.
