How To Stay Sober
Sobriety is a milestone for many people dealing with addictions. Getting out of rehab may seem like the last step towards staying sober – but in truth, the big test comes after that. For recovery to be successful, you need to learn how to stay sober as you are transitioning to normal life. Therapy can help you get over this period. But let’s see what you can do to stay sober.
Staying Sober
Staying sober is never easy for some people – especially not in the beginning. It usually only starts getting easier after the first few months, after the symptoms of withdrawal are gone and people have mostly gotten over the behavioral patterns. Staying sober continues long after individuals have gotten out of rehab, and it can continue for years as well.
To stay sober means to avoid the temptation after quitting a certain substance. For example, if you are recovering from alcohol addiction, staying sober starts the moment you go past the gates of the rehab center. To stay sober means to avoid your favorite pub to not slip into temptation, but also to be able to resist once it comes in front of you.
Sober living is a choice as it can help you transition between rehab and the real world. You can also impose a set of principles that you want to stick to simply because you want a better life. Staying sober is not always easy, but with the right guidance, it can be made easier.
Tips on Staying Sober
Staying sober is a challenge in itself, particularly when you have temptations all over. Take alcohol, for example. There are bars everywhere, alcohol is legally sold at supermarkets, and no one can ever stop you from buying a bottle of something. This is why it is sometimes extremely difficult to stay sober.
Still, if you follow the right tips, you can make your life easier. Here are our tips for you so that you may successfully go through sobriety.
Find Your Triggers
Everyone has a trigger that causes them to spiral back into their addiction. For some people, it’s stress. Others have love issues that they decide to drown with, say, alcohol. It’s important to determine these triggers and to take the necessary steps in order to avoid them. By creating a plan or putting your life in order, you might be able to avoid the triggers that make you spiral down into addiction.
Work on Your Relationships
Your family and friendship environment is very important when you are dealing with substance abuse. As long as they are aware of the problem, they can help you from falling off the wagon. Plus, by spending time with your family and friends, not only will you be able to keep yourself busy, but they can also potentially encourage you to stay clean.
Bear in mind that not every kind of relationship is worth working on here – you have to work on the good ones. Whether it’s an unsupportive parent or a friend that keeps dragging you only to bars, you need to hang onto those that will support you through your recovery. If they are a risk of making you jump off the wagon, then you shouldn’t feel guilty at all for letting go of this type of unsupportive relationship.
Find Fun Activities
If your everyday life is boring and empty, it becomes much easier to relapse into your old addiction. Sure, you may have a job now to keep yourself busy – but at the same time, you’ll have your “rest hours” to cover fun. Find some fun activities to do, such as visiting a city every week, or teaching yourself how to play an instrument. If you are having fun, you will not have time to think back on your addiction.
Why Staying Sober is Beneficial
Sobriety is not only good for the body but also your mind and your lifestyle. Here are several reasons why staying sober is beneficial:
- You’ll Feel Healthier
Substance abuse has some great negative health effects, mainly as a result of the toxins that are entering your body. When those toxins are removed and you are well into sober life, your overall health will already start to improve. Weeks into sobriety, you’ll already be more energetic, and you’ll be able to keep your focus.
Plus, once your body goes through detox and removes all of those chemicals, your complexion will also improve. You’ll be able to sleep much better, your memory will improve, and your life will be a healthy one rather than a chaotic mess.
- You’ll Save Money
Addictions are expensive, which is what makes them such a problem. Imagine just how much money you’d save if you no longer spend so much money on alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Spending around $8 for the average pack of cigarettes may not seem much, but when you spend that sum every day (or even more), you may have a fairly heavy setback.
- You’ll Improve Your Relationships
When you are under the influence, in most cases, you are not yourself. Many relationships are negatively affected by substance abuse. When you stay sober, you are able to be yourself – to connect with your friends and family. It will also make it easier for you to create new relationships
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy such as the one provided by Real Deal can help you by offering outpatient rehab. With therapy, you will get the support that you need so that you can keep your addiction under control.
Therapy has all the tools necessary for people to succeed – and when someone is ready to give up, therapy will make sure to keep them on the right track. It will connect individuals to people that went through the same thing, inspiring them so that they may turn their life around as well.
Plus, when someone tries to get treated for their addiction, the chances are that they are only treating the “symptoms.” When this happens, it’s much easier to relapse. However, therapy can help them find the underlying problem instead. This will make it much difficult for someone to fall into relapse.
So, contact us today and start your path towards an alcohol- or drug-free life.