Many people in recovery need professional support to maintain sobriety. This can include getting a sponsor, attending mutual aid groups, or participating in other recovery programs like sober living homes and motivational texting programs.
Often, after getting sober, the negative emotions that drove drug use resurface. Resolving these issues can be a long process, but it is crucial to recovery.
Getting Started
The first step of addiction recovery involves recognizing and admitting that you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. This is often the most challenging part of the process and may take a long time to accept fully.
Once you’ve done this, it’s important to find a support system that helps you stay sober. This may involve strengthening relationships with trusted friends and family members and severing ties with people who encourage you to drink or use drugs.
In Nashville, Tennessee Drug and Alcohol Rehab Resources, you’ll also be taught life skills to help you manage your responsibilities and handle relapse triggers. These can include developing healthy exercise routines, getting enough sleep, and being good to loved ones. It’s also a good idea to set goals and commit to them so you have something to work towards. This will give your life more meaning and make you feel purposeful.
Maintaining Sobriety
After achieving sobriety, an individual will want to focus on keeping it. This will entail staying away from individuals, locations, and things that make you want to use drugs or alcohol. It will also include mending broken connections and establishing new ones.
It will also mean figuring out which coping mechanisms work best for them during stressful situations. This could include meditating, exercising regularly, or contacting their support network for help. It will also reduce stress levels by making healthy food choices, getting enough sleep, and attending regular therapy sessions.
Many people find that after entering the maintenance stage of recovery, they have more energy and feel a greater sense of purpose. This is a good time to pursue new hobbies, such as learning to play an instrument or painting or volunteering at a local animal shelter. Having something to look forward to will help reduce boredom, which can lead to drug and alcohol relapse.
Managing Stress
One of the most crucial aspects of rehabilitation is learning how to manage stress. You must address whatever difficulties you are facing as you go in your sober path, whether they are related to relationships, careers, finances, health, or other issues.
Creating and maintaining a support network is another key element in stress management. This can include family, friends, and recovery groups. In addition, therapists can provide support through various types of treatment, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy.
Additionally, it is vital to cut ties with people and places that encourage drug or alcohol use. This can be difficult for some. However, these relationships can fuel addiction and lead to relapse. Ultimately, these people do not serve the new person you are becoming in your sobriety. Rather, they can make you feel angry, frustrated, misunderstood, and unsafe. This can trigger negative emotional states that can contribute to relapse.
Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention is a key aspect of addiction recovery and involves identifying and avoiding triggers, high-risk situations, and stressors that can cause a person to use drugs or alcohol.
These include avoiding people or places that were associated with drug use in the past, practicing self-care, and seeking clinical support as needed. It also includes connecting with a supportive community, such as a recovery group or 12-step meetings, and building a network of recovering friends and family.
Relapse prevention may also include addressing any damage that addiction caused in the person’s life, including damaged relationships, legal issues, or financial problems. This can be very stressful, and finding healthy coping methods is important.
Learning new coping skills and practicing mindfulness can help. Additionally, relapse prevention can involve creating an action plan for what to do in the event of a craving or trigger. This could include attending a support meeting, calling a sponsor, or contacting a therapist.
