Author: Alex Thompson

Winning Strategies On Transitioning Back To Life After Rehab

Attending meetings on a regular basis can help you remain accountable in your recovery, provide structure, and offer a safe space to seek support. Once you’re aware of your triggers, you can start creating a relapse prevention plan, or a toolkit of sorts, for how to combat those triggers when and if they do arise. However, for some, this term may apply specifically to abstinence from a former drug of abuse, such as alcohol or opioids.

When you apologize and reconcile with you those that you’ve hurt in the past you’re showing them that you are changed. People recognize the strength that it takes to say, “I’m sorry.” The more people you heal with, the more people that will be there to support you while you stay sober. Before you began your sober life, you might have felt that you had no schedule and no real responsibilities. If you develop a schedule for yourself, you can reach your goals a bit easier. Knowing what your day to day looks like can help to avoid those moments where you are left doing nothing but thinking about substance use.

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Some people who move from a controlled and protective setting find themselves awash in the environmental cues that lead to their drinking. Relapse (using substances again after stopping) can and does happen, with 85% of people experiencing relapse at least once and half of them doing so within the first two weeks of sobriety. Then, the first few weeks of sobriety are when relapse risk is highest. Detox can occur in a hospital setting or as the first part of inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation.

1. Aftercare program can provide those that are sober with the tools and resources to prevent relapse, as well as offer a support network.
2. Rehab is not a quick fix for getting clean, but it is a step in the right direction for sober living.
3. A structured routine will help you achieve other goals in your life, whether they are short-term (like being on time for work) or long-term (like going back to school and changing careers).
4. You may want to start an exercise routine — exercise releases brain chemicals called endorphins, which can make you feel good.
5. This means that almost 2.6 million Americans each year undergo treatment for drug addiction and in turn have to reintegrate back into their lives.
6. And keep your schedule loose enough that you have time for group meetings and other things that can help you through rough stretches.

Many 12-step programs suggest that sobriety means total abstinence—never using the substance ever again. Most people who relapse do so because they do not have a plan in place or are not following their plan or their intuition. There are certain things you can do to set yourself up for success in sobriety by avoiding relapsing. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates 23.5 million Americans aged 12 years or older need treatment for drug abuse each year of which only about 11 percent seek treatment.

Stay Away From Triggers and Old Habits

Learning what places, topics, and names trigger you can help you avoid them altogether to avoid the feelings that come with. Seeing people use, struggling financially, or having relationship issues can all be triggering while in recovery. It’s in your best bet to avoid being around those who use, and to find support from family and friends during turmoil. Sobriety can be a fixed-term goal like staying sober for a set period (such as Dry January), or a lifelong goal of staying sober from all substances. The move from a supported environment back to normal living can be a tough transition. Upon leaving rehab, you may find yourself put in trigger situations, or situations that spark the thought of reverting back to old habits.

If the question comes from someone you know well, you may want to say that drugs or alcohol became a problem for you, so you’re staying away from them. If you don’t know the person well, simply saying you have to get up early the next morning or you quit for health reasons should be enough. For many people with a substance use disorder, it’s simply a matter of never having learned the appropriate way to manage anger. Talk to your therapist, other healthcare provider, or sponsor about how to deal with your anger in ways that won’t cause you to harm yourself or others or turn to alcohol or drugs. It’s no small feat to commit to living a sober lifestyle and be successful at it. This lifestyle change is not easy, so don’t believe that your perseverance is anything less than worth celebrating.

You may also experience what is commonly called sobriety fatigue, which refers to the overall exhaustion that may occur as a result of the emotional and physical stress of staying sober. So, it’s extra helpful to have a support network available to you when you need it. An all-inclusive plan and aftercare program are crucial parts of long-term recovery for anyone who has completed an addiction treatment program.

Living life sober is a daily commitment to seeing your program through each and every day. Avoiding old habits, like hanging out with certain groups and going to certain places that you used to go to, can be helpful in staying sober. If you take yourself out of the spaces that used to harm you, you are giving yourself a better shot at staying sober in recovery. This can include toxic relationships in which you feel unheard, misunderstood, unsupported, demeaned, unsafe, and/or attacked.

Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Their process of getting sober will depend on numerous factors, including the severity of drug or alcohol use disorder and long-term goals of sobriety. This article will describe sobriety in more detail, the challenges a person faces while working to stay sober, the options for treatment, and tips for building a sober lifestyle. Research shows that if you maintain these types of toxic relationships, your chances of relapsing are greater.

That is, any person, situation, or sensation that could prompt relapse. And like any journey, there’s a likelihood of encountering bumps on the road ahead — including challenges to your sobriety. Anyone who’s sought treatment for addiction knows that the road to recovery doesn’t end with the completion of a formal rehab program.

Keeping yourself busy and motivated helps immensely in the recovery process. If you, a family member, or another loved one have relapsed after rehab and need additional support, call our treatment center to discover your options today. Sobriety can also be defined as a process of abstaining from a former drug of abuse and developing healthy habits to support your recovery. Sober living housing can be a great in-between for rehab and returning to the environment you were in before you got sober. If you think it might be right for you, including in your aftercare plan can be beneficial to your recovery journey. Aftercare program can provide those that are sober with the tools and resources to prevent relapse, as well as offer a support network.

It’s important to develop a structured daily and weekly schedule and stick to it. Some definitions of sobriety call for complete lifelong abstinence while others focus on developing coping mechanisms that can reduce harm with the understanding that setbacks are common. However, the word is often used in different ways in different contexts.

Develop a Structured Routine

Keep in mind that the treatment program is only the beginning and is simply the foundation for recovery. Milestones in sobriety (e.g., 24 hours, a month, three months) are celebrated to recognize the incredible hard work that’s been accomplished through staying sober for a certain length of time. They can help motivate a person to remain sober to reach the next milestone. Some people may find that wearable devices and smartphone apps can support their recovery from alcohol use disorder. Biosensors monitor physical changes, detect alcohol use, and identify relapse risk.