CODAC Management Manual

Physical wellness involves tending to all areas of the body’s well-being. Physical self-care also involves avoiding situations and activities that put undue stress on the body. Taking a proactive role in caring for physical health is crucial for achieving overall wellness. The body is a vehicle for our thoughts, emotions, and actions. By proactively maintaining your physical wellness, you can lay the groundwork for achieving balance in all Eight Dimensions of Wellness. 2. EMOTIONAL WELLNESS Emotional wellness is just as essential as physical wellness. Emotional wellness refers to a general ability to cope with life using healthy behaviors. Those who struggle with substance use disorder can often experience difficulty with emotional wellness. While drugs and alcohol may provide a quick way to change or numb difficult emotions, they can cause long-term damage. Healthy coping skills can be the foundation of effective, long-term emotional regulation. • Develop a sense of self-respect and self-esteem • Show respect and consideration for others’ feelings • Manage stress effectively Understanding and dealing with your emotions is the basis of emotional wellness. Managing challenging emotions and setting healthy emotional boundaries are central to maintaining long-term recovery. It’s worth noting that the Eight Dimensions of Wellness do not include mental health explicitly because multiple dimensions of wellness impact mental health. When you seek wellness in all dimensions, you can support your mental health from various angles. 3. SPIRITUAL WELLNESS Spiritual wellness, or “existential wellness,” involves making meaning of life and our role in the world. Spiritual wellness can include religious or spiritual beliefs and practices, and those in recovery may be familiar with references to a “higher power.” However, spiritual wellness does not have to involve organized religion. Spiritual wellness can be difficult to define for those without spiritual beliefs outside of organized religion. It can help to view this concept as one concerned with personal values. Whether spiritual beliefs exist or not, spiritual wellness can include: • Emotional wellness has many elements. It can include the ability to: • Identify and understand emotions • Build healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with difficult emotions • Communicate feelings to others effectively • Develop emotional control

• Having a sense of ethics and morals and living by them • Developing and understanding a sense of identity • Showing respect for life and the well-being of self and others • Appreciating the significance of one’s role in the world

Spiritual wellness is a crucial part of overall well-being, and it does not require religious beliefs or the belief in a higher power. It includes how you choose to live, your awareness of your experience, and your perception of your role within humanity.

4. SOCIAL WELLNESS

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