Recovery capital is whatever you have working in your favor to help you stay sober. An easy way to think of is that anything that makes you happier, healthier, and more connected to others is recovery capital. The more recovery capital you have, the easier it will be to stay sober. Recovery capital can be broadly divided into four categories: Physical, human, social, and cultural. Physical capital is the most fundamental. It includes the basic things anyone needs to live, such as food, shelter, and clothing. It’s especially important to have a safe place to live and enough to eat. People who can’t meet these basic needs have a high risk of relapse. It’s also important to have some means of transportation so you can meet other needs like getting to work and buying groceries. Anything you have in addition to the basics is a bonus that will make recovery easier. This might include owning a house or having some savings. Human capital are the assets no one can take away from you. This includes your skills, intelligence, education, experience, interpersonal skills, motivation, problem solving ability, self-discipline, and personal values, such as honesty, hard work, or curiosity. These are especially valuable because they will help you on every front. They will help you excel in your job, which allows you to get more physical capital, and they will allow you to get along better with others, which will grow your social capital. Social capital is the sum of all your relationships. Quality is especially important in social capital. You may have 100 friends, but if they all use substances heavily, they’re going to be a liability. Good social capital comprises all the people who care about you and support your recovery. They are generally positive people who don’t cause you a lot of stress. You can build social capital during treatment or attending mutual aid groups, such as 12-step programs. You can also build social capital through new hobbies such as joining a sports league or taking classes. Cultural capital is all the ways your community supports people battling addiction. Communities that have laws favoring treatment over punishment, for example, are a huge cultural asset. It also includes people’s general attitudes toward addiction, for example, whether they actively combat the stigma of addiction and talk about the problem openly. Unfortunately, although it is incredibly important, there is little most individuals can do about increasing cultural capital except to speak out when we have the opportunity. You can think of recovery capital as money in the bank. Every time you learn a new skill, make a new friend, pay off a debt, or save a little money, you strengthen your recovery a little bit more. What’s more, you make your entire life, and the lives of the people you care about, a little better too.
If you’re struggling with substance use, Recovery Ways can help. We offer intensive outpatient treatment as well as residential treatment. Recovery Ways is a premier drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our mission is to provide the most cost-effective, accessible substance abuse treatment to as many people as possible. Request information online or call us today at 1-888-986-7848.
