Author: Alex Thompson

40 Tips For Staying Sober Under Pressure

If you think you could use the extra help, talk to your doctor about which medication is right for you. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I finally managed to get and stay sober. When I look back on the millions of times I tried (and failed) to quit, I have a very good idea about what didn’t work.

Can you enjoy these activities sober, or are there obstacles in the way? Don’t place yourself in obvious situations like a bar. Find sober friends and make sober life fun. However, I prefer a once-a-week journal entry using gratitude journaling prompts. This practice centers my focus on the act of appreciation.

The key to that tool being successful is writing from a place of grace while holding back any hint of disdain or antagonization. So what does loving yourself look like to you? Can you think of any areas where you are hard on yourself?

Relapse Prevention Plan

Shitty things are going to happen to you. However, having faith makes the good things that happen to you extraordinary. Also, my faith has helped me live through experiences I cannot imagine surviving without God. So faith is an integral part of my list of how to stay sober. Changing your habits from an unhealthy diet to a healthy eating lifestyle gives you confidence in your sobriety. You begin to feel better, and your gut health and natural energy level improve.

The term “staying sober” means different things to different people. It is most often related to avoiding alcohol, but it can pertain to using any substance. It’s important to acknowledge the effort it takes to stay sober. Even short-term accomplishments should be celebrated for those struggling with addiction. As you build on your success, you can celebrate months and years of sober milestones. At Landmark Recovery, we have inpatient and outpatient programs combining medication-assisted treatment and a range of psychotherapies like CBT.

My natural inclination is to add things to my basket and find uses for them later. The end result is a lot of sad, spoiled produce and takeout pizza. I never dreamed I’d be the type of person who had to start her day with some sort of exercise or movement. Well, I dreamt it, but I didn’t think I’d actually become that person.

Stay Hydrated

As you start a life of sobriety, try drawing up a schedule to help you restructure your life. Research shows that toxic relationships are damaging to recovery. Purge yourself of these, and don’t feel guilty about it. Practice speaking recovery affirmations to begin the positive influence of your mindset shift.

Some of the most creative people used artistic expression to showcase what they’re feeling. Don’t fear the struggles, let them out in a healthy way. Being sober can be stressful, but it doesn’t need to be — and it certainly won’t be forever. This gives you a quick and easy explanation for why you aren’t drinking. It also gives you a sense of purpose that can help you stay focused. Ask your doctor about nonmedical ways to manage your pain, like massage or acupuncture.

1. It is especially true if they have alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD).
2. Studies have shown that gratitude can improve your mental wellbeing and actually help you make better decisions.
3. To achieve this, you’ll learn superior and healthier coping strategies that don’t involve drink or drugs.
4. From walking, jogging, and cycling to swimming, tennis, and yoga, find an activity you enjoy and stay active in your recovery.
5. Recovery is a perfect time to revitalize your well-being.
6. When I’m able to attend a party (it can be hard with a toddler), there might be drinking, but there will also be food, good conversation, and some other activity.

You hate drinking, what it’s doing to your life, your health, and your relationships with others. Do you have any of your own tips for staying sober that aren’t listed here? Please feel free to share them in the comments. If you do relapse, don’t let it slip back into full-out abuse. Accept that you’re human and that you’ll slip up. Then take massive action to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

The First 30 Days of Sobriety Living Marijuana Free

So it’s a safe bet that you will use it too much. Addiction doesn’t always mean alcohol abuse or using drugs. There is a correlation between poverty and substance abuse disorders and subsequent relapses. In addition, poverty increases stress, hopelessness, and low self-esteem.

And I spend more time absorbing the experience versus jotting three quick things down before walking out the door. So choose which one you’ll honestly commit to and benefit from using. So it was an adventure setting up my first website. It involved a lot of Googling and watching YouTube. I laughed, I cried, but best believe, I was preoccupied.

If your loved one is willing to go to family therapy, that is a boundary to consider before cutting them out completely. They are poison to your recovery and want to see you fail. If they’re people using drugs or old drinking buddies, they’ve got to go. Stay away from that miserable mindset and toxicity. It can be awkward at first if it’s not already a practice. However, when you spend time alone, you learn about yourself.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

Remember to care for yourself, seek supportive relationships, and consider seeking help from a therapist. Over time, this medicine gradually trains your brain to stop associating alcohol with pleasure. This process is known as “pharmacological extinction,” and it’s helped countless people beat their drinking habits. Post-acute-withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) is a condition that afflicts many people in recovery.

All of my friends drink, but I don’t hang out with them when the objective of the social function is to get drunk. If your tribe continues to drink, your sobriety is challenging the norms of the group. That’s not going to work for you (or them) long-term. To be successful, you need to find a tribe with whom fitting in is actually good for you.

Accomplishing a goal that you’ve put intention into gives you the reward of believing in yourself. However, singing soothes my soul, and I can’t live without it. So I found a karaoke app and honestly had some of the best nights trying to duet with people and perfect a song. One of my favorite activities is karaoke. Now before you hate, I can sing a little something sum. So after rehab, the idea of frequenting bars wasn’t ideal especially knowing that you could count on finding pills.