There are many treatment programs all across the country. However, where you seek treatment is just as important to your recovery as the treatment itself. Austin, Texas, is one of the best places in the United States to find healing and support in maintaining recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know finding the right program is vital to the building blocks for sustained recovery. Thus, our treatment program has been committed to integrating nature and contemporary comforts to provide a sanctuary where you can reflect and recover. Now that you have found healing in our expansive 85-acre estate, you can see the heart of Austin culture as a place for lasting recovery. Austin is not only an incredible space for treatment but also a unique community committed to seeing you thrive in every part of your life.

However, what makes Austin such a special place to put down roots for your lifelong healing? At Driftwood Recovery, we know courageous recovery is born out of healing the whole of your parts. Therefore, the environment in which you engage in maintaining recovery is vital.

The Importance of Your Environment for Maintaining Recovery

According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the neighborhood environment in which you live can affect your development. The impact of environmental factors also extends to challenges with substance misuse. There are a variety of environmental risk factors that can contribute to difficulties with substance use disorder (SUD) and relapse. Listed below are some of the risky substance use environmental characteristics that can impede maintaining recovery:

• Easy access to substances
  • Lowers barriers to getting, using, and abusing substances
    • Disrupts treatment and maintaining recovery
• Neighborhood disadvantages
  • Certain environments create a cycle of disadvantage
    • Low income
    • Unemployment
    • Low educational attainment
    • Poor access to pro-social and environmental resources
      • Libraries
      • Recreation centers
      • Green spaces
      • Medical and social services
  • Disadvantaged neighborhoods increase factors for chronic stress
    • Increases self-medicating with substances
• Environmental barriers to treatment and maintaining recovery
  • Unreliable transportation
  • Lack of funds for public transportation
  • Great distance between home and treatment facility
• Other factors that contribute to risky substance use environments
  • Gender
  • Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
    • Poor parental supervision
  • Peer behavior and attitude
• Systemic factors can contribute to risky substance environments
  • Racism, restrictive land use, and development policies encourage community segregation and higher degrees of neighborhood disadvantage for minorities

Looking at some of the environmental risk factors for SUD highlights the importance of location for maintaining recovery.

Maintaining Recovery Through Community in Austin

One of the most important parts of the recovery process in treatment and beyond is community. Through community, you find the sense of belonging you need to maintain recovery. As noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social connectedness can have a profound impact on your mind, body, and behaviors. With social connectedness, you can find your perceived and desired number, quality, and diversity of relationships for long-term well-being.

Social connectedness supports your psychological and physical well-being by fostering a sense of belonging. Within that sense of belonging found in connection with others, you develop mutual caring, value, and support for each other. Therefore, the value of connection and community for healing and maintaining recovery makes Austin a great place to find meaning in your life.

As noted by Austin's Housing and Planning Department (HPD), Austin's greatest asset is its people. The people of Austin are dedicated to providing opportunities for engagement with each other in every part of life.

Beauty of Austin: Nature as a Tool for Long-Term Recovery

Another important part of Austin's culture and identity is its environment. Location plays an important role in what resources you have access to and the support needed for maintaining recovery. Nature can be a great facilitator of social contact. Access to green spaces connects you with others to foster a sense of community that supports maintaining recovery. Moreover, nature can support your physical and psychological wellness as a source of relaxation and reward. Outdoor recreation is a foundational part of Austinites' lives that encourages connecting with nature to heal and find meaning in healthy, vigorous activities rather than substances.

According to Austin's Parks and Recreation, some of the outdoor activities you can engage in to support maintaining recovery include:

• Hiking trails
• Parks
• Nature preserves
• Sanctuaries

The unique beauty of Austin and our city's commitment to community highlight that there is something for everyone in Austin.

Finding Purpose: Opportunities for Maintaining Recovery in Austin

With support, you can find your purpose for maintaining recovery in Austin. Countless opportunities await you to build a meaningful and fulfilling life without substances. Whether you are an artist, athlete, professional, or looking to rediscover yourself with education, Austin is the place to be:

• Indie art scene
  • Canopy art studio
  • Women & Their Work
  • Black Pearl Books
  • Waterloo Records
  • Zilker Hillside Theatre
  • The Austin Film Festival
  • OUTsider Fest
• Athletic opportunities
  • Basketball
  • Flag football
  • Softball
  • Volleyball
• Young professional opportunities
  • Booming job market
    • Technology sector
    • Healthcare sector
    • Creative industries
• Education
  • Extensive community partnerships encourage innovation in higher education
    • Cultural arts
    • Medicine
    • Industry
    • Business
    • Technology
  • Schools and libraries act as centers for individual and community opportunities
    • Recreational
    • Social events
    • Collaboration
    • Learning

The diversity in hobbies, education, and work opportunities is a reflection of Austin's pledge to build a community where everyone can thrive.

Empowering Lasting Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

Whether someone is just starting their life or is looking for a fresh start, Austin is a community that believes there is a place for everyone. At Driftwood Recovery, the heart of our work and Austin is in our people. Through our strength-based environment, we empower everyone who comes through our doors to integrate sustainable change in their lives for lasting recovery. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Austin, we are a place like no other; we know the value of connection. Through mutually supportive connections, you can be embraced by the community you deserve to build a fulfilling life in Austin.

Environmental risk factors like easy access to substances, economic disparity, and institutional racism can make maintaining recovery difficult. Austin is an incredible place to rediscover yourself and build a new life in recovery. At the heart of what makes Austin a place like no other is the people and their dedication to community. Whether you are looking for the healing power of nature or to build a meaningful career and life without substances, there is space for everyone. Here at Driftwood Recovery, the core of our work focuses on creating a strength-based environment where mutually supportive connection is made possible. To continue empowering yourself to lead a fulfilling life without substances, call us at (512) 759-8330.