CODAC Management Manual

Social wellness includes our relationships and our role within the larger community. Building and maintaining healthy relationships is a key element of wellness. For those in recovery, social wellness is particularly important. In recovery, seeking social wellness means repairing damaged family relationships and building new, meaningful relationships with others who live a substance-free lifestyle. Social wellness can also include:

• Building a support system • Reaching out to a friend instead of isolating • Seeking community from others in recovery • Avoiding social situations that might lead to relapse • Understanding your own identity and respecting others

Social wellness can also extend to your ability to cooperate with others and manage conflict in healthy ways. Humans are social creatures. Social wellness means finding ways to interact with others that contribute to your quality of life. 5. FINANCIAL WELLNESS Financial wellness is a huge contributor to overall well-being. In fact, having the time and motivation to seek wellness at all is often predicated on financial wellness. Financial wellness includes affording basic necessities and having healthy financial attitudes and habits. Financial wellness might include:

• Maintaining consistent employment • Taking responsibility for your financial obligations • Paying bills on time • Avoiding debt or building a plan to get out of debt • Refraining from gambling • Not engaging in emotional spending • Following a budget • Having a healthy relationship with money

Financial wellness may not take up as much time and energy as other dimensions of wellness. Still, it’s an important part of building and maintaining a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Financial wellness may be a significant barrier for some people who struggle to develop wellness in other areas. 6. INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS Intellectual wellness is a central part of feeling happy and fulfilled. It refers to applying your creativity and intellect in a way that helps you learn and grow. A lack of stimulation or routinely feeling under stimulated can create a lot of boredom and anxiety. Someone who struggles with intellectual wellness may experience a lack of fulfillment. Prioritizing intellectual wellness can have a huge positive benefit for those who wish to avoid relapse. Examples of fostering intellectual wellness can include:

• Learning a new skill • Enrolling in college • Volunteering in your community • Connecting with your culture or exploring and appreciating other cultures • Reading a book • Doing a puzzle • Engaging in a creative outlet: journaling, painting, dancing, singing, crafting

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