The words Rehab and Sober Living’ can mean very different things to different people. To a parent or loved one it can mean someone in your life is in rehab and clean and sober again. The horrors of addiction have maybe stopped while in treatment, but you wonder will it last. To the addict it can mean similar will this be the time I stop using and drinking for good.
A new movie out called Ben is Back takes you to the tragic horrors that family and friends go through with addiction. Getting sober is difficult enough but making a fresh start in your life is in several ways an even more difficult task. If you have quit drinking and/or doing drugs and you are serious about staying sober, you’ll want to do everything you can to avoid having a relapse. Stepping back into your sober life and resuming a “normal” lifestyle is a process of transition that requires several steps, changes, and resolutions to succeed. If you have recently gotten sober or you are working on your recovery, you have already taken one of the biggest and most difficult steps. To help you stay focused here are a few things you can do to improve your chances of sober living success.
Create a Structured Schedule
Many experts say that living a disorganized or chaotic lifestyle may also interfere with your recovery. It is essential that you develop structured schedules, both daily and weekly and stick to your schedule. A structured schedule will also help you achieve the other goals you have in your life. It is also important to create long-term goals. Remaining sober is definitely a high priority, but creating and pursuing other goals, such as changing careers or going back to school may help you maintain your sobriety.
Develop Healthy Relationships
Like many addicts, the closest relationship you may have had was with your drug of choice. It may be that the only “friends” you had were the ones you bought your drugs from or who you drank and/or did drugs with. Being sober has allowed you to discover that past relationships weren’t only not healthy, but toxic. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s not only your drinking pals and drug dealers that can get you in trouble, sometimes; it’s those who are the closest to you that may contribute to a relapse. You may have friends, family or even employers that have enabled you without you even knowing it. To remain sober and avoid relapse, it is critical for sober living to develop more healthy relationships and make new friends.
Get Active
If you drank and/or used drugs for a long period of time, there’s a good possibility that your health was affected, and the chances are high that you’re not in the best physical shape. Exercise and activities, even recreational hobbies can have a significant reduction. Exercise can also help to reduce boredom, which like stress is a relapse trigger. Becoming physically active can help to restore a sense of balance in your life, which will, in turn, benefit you emotionally. Increasing exercise and eating healthy will help to improve your overall health, help you feel better and reduce any post-acute withdrawal symptoms you may experience.
One of the most common mistakes for many that are new to recovery is substituting a new addiction for their old one. Some people that are newly sober may find themselves obsessing over a new diet, exercise or even support groups, which is basically substituting one addiction for another one. Although new activities and hobbies are productive and healthy, it is important to find a healthy balance and gain control over everything in your life. The goal is to learn that you do have choices and that you have the ability to maintain control.
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