People recovering from alcohol and drug addiction have to live in the real world. This part of the recovery process challenges sobriety because people have to face some of the same temptations that lead them down a path of addiction in the first place. In order not to fall back on bad habits and live an addiction-free life, drug and alcohol recovery programs provide various tips on staying sober.
Avoid Former Friends
The primary way to stay sober during recovery from addiction is to avoid former friends who continue to use drugs or alcohol. These friends will not take sobriety seriously and expect the same kind of behavior. This is a hard process, especially with long-time associates, family members or colleagues. Replace these friends with people who support sobriety and are encouraging when temptations arise. Maintaining sobriety means being willing to start over. Find a work buddy who will be supportive during office parties or after-work cocktails.
Join Support Groups
Even when friends and family are supportive, they may not understand the difficulties associated with staying sober. Joining supportive groups like AA and Al-Anon connects people with others who understand their struggle. Groups like AA team a recent recovering addict with someone who has remained sober for a long time. Community organizations have support groups made up of people in the community who are recovering from addiction. Mentors in these organizations are available 24 hours a day. Psychological counseling is available for recovering addicts. Therapists teach recovering addicts techniques that help people remain sober when pressured to drink.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
People recovering from addiction should take care of their physical health along with their mental health to stay sober. They should eat healthy, get enough sleep, and exercise. Try exercises like kickboxing, which releases a lot of tension, and breathing exercises to relieve stress. Eating right, exercising and managing stress helps when events and situations occur that trigger the desire for alcohol. Develop a healthy lifestyle with the help of friends.
Find Hobbies and Volunteer
Boredom causes people to relapse. Finding hobbies and volunteering helps people stay sober because they are doing things that keep them occupied. Many people enjoy music, arts and crafts or a physical activity like dancing. They can find these activities at local community centers or community colleges or universities. Volunteering with community organizations or working as tutors or mentors to children and teenagers keeps a person's mind off their addiction by helping others. Some people volunteer at the drug rehabilitation facility that helped them recover from addiction.
Tags: from addiction, recovering from, stay sober, People recovering, People recovering from, recovering addicts