(Newswire.net — March 4, 2021) — Once an addict, always an addict.
False. Addiction recovery is difficult, but it is not impossible. It is up to the patient to stay focused and make positive changes that enable a sober lifestyle.
When it comes to determining how to stay sober, there are helpful methods addicts use to avoid triggers and prevent relapse. Let’s review some of the best tips for staying sober and how you can apply them to your recovery.
1. Identify and Steer Clear of Triggers
When recovering from addiction, avoid mental, emotional, and physical situations that make you crave drugs or alcohol. Recognizing, avoiding, and ignoring these triggers make it easier to stay sober.
Triggers can come from within, such as stress and emotional distress. They can also be external, such as problems at work or changes in your environment. Or it could be as simple as seeing someone drinking at a bar on TV.
Write down a list of what triggers you to engage in unhealthy behaviors. Avoid situations that could cause the triggers to emerge, like big parties.
But triggers cannot always be avoided. Prepare an action plan that you can implement if you find yourself face-to-face with a substance abuse trigger.
Your action plan could be getting to the nearest Alcohol Anonymous meeting or calling a sponsor or counselor. Being prepared can help you prevent relapse and stay sober.
2. Participate in Long-Term Residential Treatment
A safe environment plays a key role in maintaining sobriety. Becoming a part of a long-term residential treatment program can help you recover from your addiction and acclimate back to normal life.
Long-term residential programs are designed for people committed to staying sober. They assist participants in finding housing, locking down reliable transportation, and obtaining employment. These programs also provide training in financial stability and relationship building so a recovered patient can feel confident returning to society.
Joining a long-term residential treatment program can give you the support, skills, and education you need to develop a healthy and sober lifestyle. They help patients turn over a new leaf and leave unhealthy habits behind.
3. Acknowledge Relapse Warning Signs
Relapse is when a person engages in the addiction he or she is recovering from. After three months, 40% to 60% of addicts relapse. So for those trying to stay sober, the odds are not in your favor.
But recognizing the early warning signs of relapse can help you prevent one from happening. The most common symptoms of an approaching relapse include:
- Unhealthy thinking patterns (“I can have just one”)
- Self-destructive behaviors (such as skipping a counseling session)
- Engaging with other addicts
- Visiting places that may trigger the addiction (like a bar)
Understanding the signs of a relapse is the first step in preventing one. If you are experiencing relapse warning signs, take action immediately. Get to a counseling session, reach out to your support network, or do whatever you need to keep yourself clean.
4. Develop a New Hobby
The key for how to stay sober is to create a fulfilling life that does not involve drugs or alcohol. For most addicts, old hobbies may no longer be feasible. Instead, seek out new, sober-friendly hobbies that promote healthy living.
Examples of excellent hobbies for staying sober include:
- Outdoor activities (like biking, kayaking, hiking, and skiing)
- Yoga
- Cooking
- Playing an instrument
- Martial arts
- Volunteering
- Camping, hunting, and fishing
New hobbies distract from addictive thoughts. The activities allow you to release stress and focus on something other than being sober. They can also help you connect with new friends who promote healthy and sober living.
5. Change Your Old Routine
Drug addiction recovery allows you to turn over a new leaf. Leave toxic habits and routines in the past, and make room for healthy lifestyle adjustments.
Do not hang around the same places or people that you did when you were using. If you do, your chances of staying sober long-term are slim.
Use your recovery as an opportunity to create a new schedule. Instead of heading straight to the bar after work, hit the gym. Rather than staying up late with friends who are using, go offline. Take a hot bath or read a few pages of a book.
Some recovery patients might need to go a step further and change where they live or how they get to work.
If you pass your favorite bar going to and from work, it becomes increasingly more difficult to stay out of it. Consider renting a new apartment or finding alternative routes so you can leave your old routine in the past.
6. Talk About Your Struggles
Addicts do not have to suffer in silence. Discussing the struggles of staying sober, whether formally or informally, can help you blow off steam and prevent a relapse.
Talk therapy allows you to speak with a professional about your journey. You can acknowledge stressors, discuss how you are feeling about your new routine, and determine the best actions to take to remain sober.
You can also connect with other addiction recovery patients. These people are a support system you can rely on when you are having a bad day. It is comforting to have someone in a similar situation you can vent to about the challenges of staying sober.
7. Celebrate Milestones
The road to sobriety is long. Recognize your achievements and celebrate milestones along the way. Whether you have been sober for two weeks or two years, every day you do not engage in the harmful activity is a triumph.
Some patients keep calendars to remind them of how far they have come in their recovery. Others journal about their feelings and write down how proud they are of themselves.
Whatever you do, take the time to acknowledge your success. Celebrating milestones motivates you to keep pushing forward in your recovery.
Tips for Staying Sober and More
Addiction recovery is not easy, but it is rewarding. Take the time to learn the best tips for staying sober, so you can continue moving forward in your recovery.
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