Maintaining your sobriety isn’t always easy, but you can do it. Here are just a few of the tips sober living homes have to help you in your struggle with addiction and alcoholism.
Stick to the Plan. – After you’ve successfully completed rehab and are back in the world of the newly recovered, you probably have some sort of plan. It might include ensuring you regularly eat nutritious meals, get enough sleep each night, and get some exercise. It might also include attending regular 12-step meetings, keeping appointments with your doctors and other healthcare practitioners, and getting back to work. No matter what your sobriety plan includes, you need to stick to it. Living sober can seem intimidating and confusing at first, but adjustment takes time, and that’s okay. If you stick to the plan, it will all get easier.
Don’t Rush Things. – You may be excited to get back into the swing of things, and that’s good, but don’t rush things. Returning home can be stressful, joyful, or a combination of the two, but remember, you’re not who you were the last time you were there. You are a stronger, better person who has fought their addictions. Things aren’t going to be the same as they were, and that’s a good thing. However, adjusting to the new normal takes time. You can’t expect yourself to immediately have a handle on things. Remember to look at the big picture, and recognize that your recovery can take days, weeks, or months. You may have to lose friends to maintain your sobriety, and stop going to your old haunts, and that can be stressful. Just keep the big picture in mind, and give yourself time.
Learn From Your Mistakes. – Mistakes are part of the learning process. If you do make a misstep, don’t fixate on it. Learn from it, and let it make you stronger. What did you do that was effective? What did you do that wasn’t? Analyze things, and learn from it. There will be a next time.
These are just a few of the strategies for successful sobriety. If you have any questions about recovery or dealing with things, feel free to share in the comments.