Sober living is a kind of lifestyle that encourages abstinence from drugs and alcohol. It is all about making some good choices and developing a support network of family and friends.
Even after getting support from family and friends, staying sober is not that easy. Recovering from drug addiction is a process that goes lifelong, with several challenges along the way. Sometimes it seems like riding out those tough moments is not possible, mainly during major events such as Christmas or birthday parties. Thankfully, there are some plans that you can put in place to help you in managing sobriety.
Some practical tips assist you in staying sober easily. If you are finding yourself attracted to temptation, keep in mind that it is possible to enjoy while you embrace a life of recovery.
Here are some tips you should adopt to enjoy your life of sobriety, which is something you should be proud of.
Steps to Maintain Sober Life With Drug Addiction Treatment in California
For staying sober, no one size fits all. What will work for someone might not work for others. The more plans you have in your place for recognizing the addiction symptoms or the potential trigger factors and how to deal with them, the more equipped you will be to enjoy your sober life and avoid relapsing. So these are the steps to maintain a sober life through drug addiction treatment in drug rehab California
- Try to remain realistic: It is vital to maintain a realistic attitude about the potential for conflict. It is true that you will have to go through some difficult times with enhanced levels of stress that can result in some greater temptation. What is vital is planning for support requirements and plans you will adopt to come out from the other side strong.
- Identify your triggers: Whether your triggers are stress, fear, depression, or something environmental, check them with yourself and give priority to self-care.
- Utilize your support network: Your family, fellow peers, and good friends will all want you to go through the difficult times and remain clean, sober, and safe. So, allow them to support you. Remain in touch with people either through phone or chat or face to face. Prepare a list of ten people whom you can call and keep that list with you always. Try talking to that person at least once a day.
- Say no: Remain selective of whom you are accepting the invitations from, as you will know which social groups are best and which ones are not. If you have said yes to something and then do not feel up to it, it is completely okay to say you cannot attend. Now you are behaving sober and are connecting with the gut instincts again, check in with yourself and your peers and continue with those feelings.
- Identify your limits: Especially around the busy period such as Christmas, your to-do list will become longer, and people can ask more of you, whether it is about shopping, cooking, or decorating. Set up some realistic expectations for yourself and other people. Do not get afraid to set up healthy boundaries and say no if it is not good for your wellness. If you start feeling overwhelmed, break up your day into some manageable sizes.
- Write out a gratitude list every day: A rapid tip to assist in soothing a stressful day is putting things into perspective, counting your blessings, and staying grateful for what you are having. Express thanks, or you can hand out a compliment to somebody you know. It’s all having a way of lifting others spirits and your own also in the whole process.
- Try to avoid hunger, anger, tiredness, and lonely: If you are feeling hungry, get something to eat. If you are getting angry, frustrated, or irritated, reach out and have a conversation with someone about it. If you are feeling lonely, attend a meeting or call your peer. If you are feeling tired, then get a good night’s sleep. Any of these four pillars can lead to you taking actions that you might later regret. If you feel like any of these triggers are coming on, lean on that support network and decrease your symptoms. It will rapidly nip any issues in the bud, and before even you know it, you will come back on track.
- Stay away from social media: Take a break from social media, and it’s going to be your digital detox. When you are on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, it’s easy to start to compare your life with others, which can rapidly lead to depression and resentment.
- Maintain a dry house: Keep your house free from alcohol and any other harmful substances. When you are around your friends or your family members for some social occasion, it might sometimes feel like alcohol is everywhere, and this is the reason why it is more vital than ever to have a safe, substance-free place where you can retreat.
- Attend 12-step fellowship meetings: A lot of groups have special meetings during the holidays to share their experience, hopes, and strengths. Check when those meetings are running and prioritize them for heading down. It is amazing how much good you will feel after meeting some like-minded people knowing about you and what you are going through.
- Make plans for every day: Prepare a regular plan to go through every week or month. Keep your days organized, and make plans for spending time with friends and families who support you for your recovery.
- Create new traditions and swap old patterns: If you are newly sober find out new activities that are enjoying to participate in without having to eat addictive substances or make use of addictive substances or behaviors. Purchase board games and start playing some new sport, go to a new restaurant, start enjoying nature, or start a completely new tradition with friends and family.
- Make an exit plan during social events: If you are attending some social gatherings, make plans ahead of time and take your non-alcoholic beverages. Make an exit plan if you are not feeling comfortable or your trigger points are available there. Drive your car if you can, keep taxi numbers if you cannot, and allow people to know that you might have to make an early exit.
Always keep in mind that your wellness and remaining safe are important. Do not consider any social pressures that might be present in the air. You will not have to stay in any place if you are not feeling comfortable.
Conclusion
Drug addiction is definitely a serious problem that will destroy your lives and families. It’s like a disease that needs professional treatment and some support for overcoming things. But it’s possible to recover from this addiction and maintain a sober life. If you are suffering because of addiction, then you should know that you are not alone. There is assistance available and the above tips can offer you some information and support that you require for getting some help and staying sober.
