5 Tips for Lasting Sobriety
For the recovering addict, it isn’t easy to achieve sobriety. Here are five things to remember to ensure that you’re taking the right steps.
#1 You can’t do it on your own
Remember that song “Lean on Me?” We all need somebody to lean on.
Whether it’s family, friends or a therapist, identify the support in your life. Why not? Take advantage of all the support you can get. Some recovering addicts aren’t so lucky to have people they trust around them.
Some ways to ask for help:
- Enter a rehab program.
- Attend counseling.
- Join support groups.
However, getting help doesn’t mean that you just show up for treatment, counseling sessions and recovery meetings. Follow the advice from mental health professionals to continue taking medication. Listen to other recovering addicts who have gone through similar experiences. Learn from everyone’s experience. We all have struggled. See how others deal with the obstacles in their paths.
#2 There’s a long road ahead
Recovery is a process and doesn’t happen overnight.
One part of treatment is identifying and diving into the underlying issues that caused the addiction. It takes time to dig through the past and find the root of the problem.
The longer you have been battling the addiction, the more difficult it will be to recover. Some people need to go through multiple drug rehab programs to be able to abstain from the substance they’re addicted to.
#3 You need to do it right
When you’re seeking addiction treatment, give 100 percent. Easier said than done, right? But think about it this way: You want a different, better life, and only you can change the one you have.
Self-medication doesn’t always mean that you’re taking drugs. You can self-medicate in other ways, which are just as unhealthy. These include:
- Overeating
- Having romantic/sexual relationships too soon
- Shopping habitually
- Gambling
These forms of self-medication may seem great at first. But all they do is throw a big pile of dirt on top of the addiction. The addiction is still there, just hidden.
#4 Staying positive is important
Negativity doesn’t offer any help in recovery. Negative thoughts bring down your mood, actions, and health.
The recovery process is like being on a rollercoaster. It has ups and downs, good times and bad times. Your optimism may be tested during the bad times, but remember that you won’t continue to descend. After every downward slope, you can only go up.
Besides, recovery won’t be a success if you don’t believe in yourself.
#5 Your expectations shouldn’t be too high
You may not be fully recovered when you walk out that rehab’s door. Relapse can happen.
Thinking you’re bulletproof can even cause a relapse. If you believe that addiction can’t happen to you twice, you may start using again. You might think you’re doing yourself a favor by limiting alcohol intake, but “just one drink” can turn into a slew of drinks.
Remember that relapse is not indicative of failure. Because addiction is a chronic disease, relapse is expected.