Creating a Wellness Toolbox

Millions of individuals struggle with mental health disorders each year. Creating a wellness toolbox is a simple yet highly effective way to combat symptoms of your mental illness. A wellness toolbox is a list of activities you can rely on when you start feeling unwell. Keep reading to learn more about how you can create your own wellness toolbox below.

Arista Recovery is a leading addiction recovery center in the Midwest that’s helped many patients achieve sobriety. Our compassionate team of specialists is here to help you every step of the way so you can lead a happier, healthier quality of life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you progress along your recovery journey. 

5 Steps to Creating a Wellness Toolbox

A wellness toolbox consists of a variety of tools you can use to help relieve symptoms of mental illness or cravings to abuse drugs or alcohol. Keep reading to learn more about how simple creating a wellness toolbox can be!

• Reflect on Positive Coping Strategies You’ve Used in The Past

First, before you start creating a wellness toolbox, it’s important to reflect on what positive coping strategies you’ve used in the past to relieve your symptoms. Reflecting on your past and things that have worked will help guide what you put in your wellness toolbox. For example, you may find exercising to be very beneficial to relieving your symptoms; however, someone else may not find exercising a good symptom reliever. 

• Consider Separating Your Wellness Toolbox into Categories

Next, before creating a wellness toolbox, you’ll also want to consider different categories you can use to separate your wellness toolbox. For example, you can separate your wellness toolbox into physical activities (ie. running, walking your dog, etc.), relaxing self-care (ie. journaling, taking a bath, etc.), and spirituality (ie. reading your bible, listening to a sermon online, etc.). Remember, be sure to create categories based on the strategies you know you’ve used in the past/ will use moving forward. 

• Start to List the Tools You Use to Relieve Symptoms

Now it’s time to start listing off the tools you want to use in your wellness toolbox! Think about different activities and things you can use to help relieve your symptoms in a healthy way. There is no right or wrong answer here– as long as you are listing off healthy coping strategies to help relieve your symptoms.

Some common examples of “tools” you can list when creating a wellness toolbox include:

• Running
• Journaling
• Walking your dog
• Reading 
• Listening to music/a podcast
• Cooking
• Riding a bike
• Talking with a supportive friend
• And so much more!

• Consider Listing Any Negative Tools You Want to Avoid

Just as how there are countless positive tools you can list when creating a wellness toolbox, there are also a number of negative tools you’ll want to avoid. These negative tools, or unhealthy coping strategies, are situations and activities you’ll want to avoid as they can be unhealthy for your physical, mental, and/or emotional health and well-being. This may include binge eating, abusing drugs or alcohol, or engaging in risky behavior that can hurt your health and well-being. 

• Use, Update, and Personalize Your Toolbox Periodically

Last but not least, after creating a wellness toolbox remember to use, update, and personalize it periodically! A wellness toolbox serves as an easy resource you can go to when you are struggling with mental illness symptoms or urges to abuse drugs or alcohol. As you use your wellness toolbox more and more, you can begin to update it according to what has worked (or not worked) for you in the past to relieve your symptoms. 

Top-Rated Midwest Drug Rehab 

Creating a wellness toolbox is an easy yet effective way to help your recovery journey. Whether you are looking for activities to better manage your mental illness symptoms or to help you cope with having urges to abuse drugs or alcohol, a wellness toolbox can help support your recovery journey. If you or someone else is struggling with substance use or mental health disorders, help is available.

Arista Recovery is a drug rehab committed to helping as many patients as possible lead a healthier, happier life. We understand that no two recovery journeys are ever the same. That’s why we offer a comprehensive range of programs at our dual diagnosis treatment center in Kansas to best support you on your recovery journey.