Believe it or not, close to 10% of adults in the United States will struggle with a substance abuse problem at some point in their lives.
That’s because drug and alcohol addiction is no laughing matter. And if you’re currently dealing with an addiction problem, then you know this fact all too well.
The journey to sobriety isn’t an easy one, but it’s the only way to ensure a happy and healthy life. The key is to understand a few tips that can provide the strength to maintain your sober life even during the most challenging times. Here we take a look at some valuable tips for adjusting to sobriety life that can make all the difference. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Stay In Shape
When it comes to staying sober, engaging in regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The key is to develop and maintain a disciplined exercise routine.
It’s important to sweat, get your heart rate up, work on developing muscle tone, and eat the right foods so that you can be as strong as possible. Keep in mind that getting in shape is also great for your mental health. Plus, regular exercise will give you more energy and you’ll feel better about yourself.
2. Avoid Old Habits
Adjusting to sobriety requires dumping old bad habits and replacing them with healthy new ones. Start by making a list of bad habits that lead down the path of substance abuse in the first place, and then create an action plan for leaving them behind.
Replacing bad habits with good ones isn’t easy. The key is to be as systematic and structured as possible. Focus on your goals and take things one step at a time until the new habits are simply a part of your daily routine.
3. Avoid Toxic Relationships
Once you’ve left a sober home to start your new life of sobriety, you need to be extremely cautious about the people you surround yourself with. Choosing the wrong people can have a significant impact on your efforts to remain sober.
That’s why you need to focus on avoiding toxic relationships from the past at all costs. This includes old friends and former lovers, as well as anyone you used to get drunk or high with.
Keep in mind that toxic people will try to drag you back down into your former lifestyle. And make no mistake, avoiding old relationships is one of the most difficult parts of adjusting to sobriety, but it’s the only way to give yourself a fighting chance of staying clean.
4. Create Structure In Your Daily Life
Everyone needs structure. This means creating a structure for your daily life so that you stay busy, engage your mind and body, and achieve a sense of satisfaction rather than simply wasting time.
Structure can come in many forms. For most people, this includes a full-time job that requires them to show up on time, earn money, pay bills, and fulfill personal and professional responsibilities. But if you don’t have a job, it’s crucial to get out of bed at the same time each day, go to bed at the same time each night, and fill your days with meaningful and challenging activities.
5. Learn to Meditate
A major aspect of sobriety is getting control of your mind. After all, the mind is a busy place that’s capable of creating a ton of chaos for addicts.
Meditation is a fantastic tool that can help you calm your mind, reduce anxiety, and help you cope with the desire to have a drink or participate in other types of unhealthy activities.
6. Get Your Finances In Order
Commit yourself to become financially responsible. This might mean getting a better job, saving money, and making a plan for retirement. Simplify your lifestyle and focus on improving your quality of life rather than accumulating material things.
Much like exercise, becoming financially healthy will help you feel more in control of your daily life.
7. Find a Challenging Job
Do you have a good job? Do you make enough money to buy a house and start saving for the future? Does your current job challenge you and make you feel satisfied with what you’ve accomplished each day?
If you feel like you’re sleepwalking through your daily routine at work, this might be a clear sign that it’s time to look for something that pushes you and tests your abilities.
8. Learn to Manage Stress
It’s impossible to avoid stress. The key is to understand how to manage it so that it doesn’t take over your life. Learning to manage stress is one of the most valuable life skills you can develop so that you never feel overwhelmed by circumstances.
9. Develop a Support Network
Staying sober is nearly impossible with a strong support network. These are people you lean on through thick and thin. Your network should include family and life-long friends, as well as other addicts struggling with sobriety who can offer encouragement.
10. Find a Sober Living Home
There’s nothing easy about maintaining your sobriety. In fact, you can plan on it being a daily struggle for the rest of your life. That’s why sober houses are such an important resource for anyone struggling with alcohol addiction. The key is to find a sober house near you that can provide the support necessary to get clean and stay clean for the long haul.
A Guide to Achieving a Successful Sober Life
Few challenges in life require more strength or determination than overcoming an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Fortunately, this guide to embracing a sober life will help make the struggle much more manageable, no matter where you are on the road to sobriety.
Please contact us today to learn more about how our team of addiction specialists can help you or a loved one currently struggling with substance abuse.
