Butler Law Firm: Strategies for Staying Sober After Addiction

It’s not easy to get clean from drugs and alcohol, but the real challenge begins once you’ve finished treatment. After you complete an addiction treatment program, you’ve got to find a way to maintain your new lifestyle, and many former addicts struggle to stay clean. You’ll have much better odds of success if you make ongoing recovery a priority in your life. These strategies will help you put your recovery first, avoid relapses, and build the life you want to live.

Commit to a fresh start. You can never erase the time you spent as an addict, but you can put it behind you and focus on the future. Forgive yourself, if you haven’t already, and remind yourself that your past choices don’t define you now. Instead of holding onto your old self-image as a drug or alcohol user, work on creating a more positive self-image, one day and one good decision at a time.

Focus on all the ways your life is better when you’re sober. Ask yourself how sobriety affects you for the better. Do you feel healthier, get more done at work, or spend more time with your loved ones? Keep all these benefits in mind, especially during your first few months of recovery. You may find it helpful to get a journal and write down your reasons for staying sober every day – this will give you some extra motivation to stay strong when you’re tempted to slide back into that way of life.

Surround yourself with supportive people. Your social network can make a huge difference when it comes to staying sober. Spend time with friends and family members who are supportive of your recovery. If you don’t have a strong social network, find some new friends through clubs, classes, or volunteer work – isolation often leads to relapse. Many people also find it helpful to attend support groups such as AA or NA.

Stay away from triggering situations. Avoid situations where you might be tempted to relapse. Don’t go to places that remind you of your addiction, and don’t hang out with the people you used to drink or use drugs with. It might be hard to cut your old friends off, but it’s critical for your recovery. If they’re really your friends, they’ll understand that you need to put your health first – and your example might even inspire them to adopt a healthier lifestyle, too.

Use your regrets to push you forward. Regrets can be a powerful incentive not to go back to your old ways. There’s a fine line between remembering your regrets and beating yourself up for past mistakes, though. Use your painful memories as fuel to make better decisions from now on, but don’t dwell on the past so much that you forget about the future.

Make a plan for what you’ll do when you feel tempted to relapse. No matter how strong you might feel today, you’ll probably have a moment or two in the future when you want to relapse. Figure out how you’ll handle those moments now, not when you’refaced with temptation. For instance, maybe you’ll deal with a drawing by taking a walk or calling a friend. When you plan ahead, you’ll have a much easier time saying no.

Set goals that motivate you. Focusing on the future is one of the best ways to stick with your new lifestyle of sobriety. Spend some time thinking about what you want to achieve in your career, your relationships, and your personal life. Then come up with a plan for making it happen. Your goals will help you stay on track and continue making progress in your life.

Overcoming addiction is difficult, and sometimes it might feel impossible, but it’s also one of the most worthwhile things you can do. These strategies will help you stay sober and stay out of trouble. for the long haul so that you can live your best, healthiest life.

Source: https://www.thehoustondwilawyer.com/dwi-law-firm-advice-to-staying-sober-after-addiction/