One of the many things Brookside Treatment gets asked a lot is what to do in your life that can promote sobriety. Obviously, this goes beyond treatment, as that is just one step in the road to recovery. From day-one, you’ll face challenges on your journey to long-term sobriety. Staying sober after completing an addiction treatment program requires patience. If you’re working toward sober living, consider five habits you can adopt that promote sobriety. Read on to learn more about the five habits and sobriety in Kentucky.
What Happens After Rehab?!
This lies outside the five habits, because it’s extremely important for your recovery aftercare. Community organizations and support groups are available with people eager to help you during the recovery process. They offer support during addiction recovery and can recommend additional treatment options to help you manage stress, avoid relapse and stay on a positive path of healthy living. Aftercare planning is vital once you’ve completed an initial treatment program. You can find a support group and continue your alcohol rehab as you work toward developing a sober lifestyle.
Our goal is to help individuals develop habits that lead to a healthier lifestyle that doesn’t include alcohol or drugs. If you or someone you care about needs support to achieve sobriety, contact us today at 606-342-7089 to speak to a recovery adviser. Now to the awesome habits…
1. Play to Your Strengths
One way to stay sober after completing an addiction treatment program is to play to your strengths, or use the natural abilities and skills you’ve learned during addiction treatment. After substance abuse, sober living requires using your strengths to make healthy choices to achieve your addiction recovery goals. However, you must first identify your strengths.
If you got up each day, went to work or school or handled other responsibilities during active addiction, you have determination. There may have been times you pushed through a situation when you felt like quitting. That determination is a strength that can help you work toward successful recovery. Determination involves recognizing that with continuous effort and focus on a goal, you can achieve it. Use that persistence to move forward in your addiction recovery.
Self-awareness is another strength you probably developed during your journey toward recovery. A self-aware person understands how their behavior impacts them and those around them. When you’re self-aware, you’re mindful of your actions, desires and feelings.
When you’re self-aware, you recognize that alcohol abuse is a problem, and you know what triggers you to drink. For example, if you enjoyed going to parties and drinking with friends in the past, you understand that a party with alcohol will tempt you to drink again. Self-awareness is a strength that can help you avoid those situations.
2. Find New Ways To Have Fun
If drinking has been your idea of having fun, recovery is the time to discover healthy daily lifestyle habits. You don’t have to battle with boredom. Finding a new hobby is one way to do something constructive and enjoyable. Visit your local library or community college if you don’t know what’s available in your community.
Leisure and Recreational Activities
You might be surprised at what activities your local community offers. You may find a cooking class or healthy eating class to help you create a healthy diet and develop a healthy lifestyle and other healthy habits.
Learn to draw, paint or grow a small garden, or try your hand at woodworking. Participating in an exercise program is a healthy habit that can strengthen your body after years of drug addiction. One benefit of taking a class for fun is meeting new people with similar interests and developing new friendships.
Do you wish you could travel? Plan a getaway with sober friends and enjoy some new scenery. If you live near the mountains or a beach, a day trip can help you enjoy sober living and give you a new perspective. Go hiking, have a picnic, soak up some sunshine and appreciate the natural beauty around you.
In our market of Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia and the following local areas of: Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Florence, Elizabethtown, Owensboro, Bowling Green, Paducah, there are near endless possibilities of newly foud fun activities.
Volunteer Opportunities
Look for a place to volunteer. Almost every town has volunteer opportunities. Charities that serve children, homeless shelters and animal rescue groups need a helping hand. People who volunteer often feel happier because helping others is a fulfilling way of giving back.
3. Care for Your Mental Health
Mental health and addiction play hand-in-hand. There are times you’ll be alone with your thoughts. However, being by yourself doesn’t have to mean being lonely. During quiet time, you can practice self-care or meditation or take a walk to promote a healthy mind and reduce stress.
Have you missed reading? Find some time each day to chill on your sofa with a good book, or go to a park, find a comfortable spot and enjoy the outdoors while diving into a new title. If you enjoy cooking, why not try a new recipe? Jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles and similar games can also help you wind down and relax, promoting good emotional health.
4. Form a Positive Social Circle
Reconnecting with family and friends is essential in helping you stay mentally healthy. Loved ones can usually sense when you may be struggling and headed for a substance use relapse.
Family and friends who were there to encourage you during your early recovery work can help you as you journey toward staying sober. Avoid always being alone by accepting invitations to spend time with friends and family. Whether it’s watching a ball game or going out for dinner, positive friendships with sober people can benefit your mental health and help you maintain sobriety.
You can draw confidence and strength from family and friends who want to see you succeed. Allow them to help you. They can offer a listening ear and encouragement. You may have many friends, but those who want to see you succeed in recovery will have your back during tough times and offer stability.
People who understand your trials are the people you can call when you’re lonely or struggling and have the urge to take a drink. They can help you work through difficulties. True friends and support groups can motivate and strengthen you, but they’ll also hold you accountable and help you understand that you must take responsibility for your actions.
Protect Your Well-Being — Choose To Say “No”
It’s brave and responsible to say “no” to activities where there are temptations to drink. If friends invite you to watch a ball game at a local bar, you can respectfully turn down the invitation. You don’t owe them any explanations unless you want to share why it’s not a good idea.
5. Set Expectations
Expectations are the things you believe you can achieve during recovery. However, your expectations must be realistic. Becoming overwhelmed can increase stress levels and leave you feeling frustrated. The pressure to be successful is something most people deal with, and it can get in the way of long-term sobriety. Be kind to yourself, take your time and keep moving forward.
You may be excited about the sober life, rebuilding relationships and showing your loved ones you’ve changed. However, if they doubt you, don’t be alarmed. Give them time to get to know the person you are now. Focus on the things you can control, and keep working toward your sobriety goals. Change is recognizable, and eventually your loved ones will see it and be happy for you.
When you have a substance use disorder, expect bumps in the road to recovery. Your life may be going well, but you may still need to resolve financial or legal issues. Be patient and understand that problems develop over time. It takes patience to achieve long-term sobriety.
Brookside Treatment in Kentucky is dedicated to helping you start the journey to a healthier lifestyle. Contact us today!
