It takes a lot of conscious effort and hard work to stay sober. In order to stay on track with your recovery in your daily life, you often have to implement various coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with triggers and cravings. Making sure you can deal with regular life and the challenges it poses to your recovery is essential in remaining sober. This blog will offer some general tips for recovery and staying sober.
7 Tips to Staying Sober
Staying on track with your sobriety is difficult, but it is possible. Here are some tips to make recovery a little easier:
Build a support network
Remember, you do not need to face recovery alone. Being open about the challenges you are facing and the fears you have with the ones in your life can help prevent relapse. Talking to a professional, such as an addiction counselor, is great for both letting out your feelings and receiving expert guidance.
Moreover, having some sober friends is very helpful in recovery. Sober friends can provide support as they are going through similar struggles. You and your sober friends can also take part in sober activities together which can make recovery much more fun.
Stay out of risky situations
Recognizing and avoiding situations that may cause you to use is crucial in safeguarding your sobriety. This not only means avoid specific locations, but this also may mean cutting the people that you use to use with or who use to enable your use out of your life. Of course, it is most likely impossible to avoid all triggers making it integral to develop necessary coping strategies as well as a relapse prevention plan.
Manage your cravings
Most cravings last only 15 to 30 minutes, however, they can be very powerful. Finding ways to deal with or distract yourself from these cravings is important in recovery. Try things like chewing gum or repeating a mantra to yourself to avoid giving in to your urge to use. Another way to avoid using is staying busy. Try to keep your days structured so when a craving does hit, you will be too busy to give into it.
Relax
Relaxation is so important in recovery. When you’re stressed, you tend to do what’s familiar, such as using drugs and/or alcohol. When you’re relaxed, you become more open to new things. If you have a difficult time relaxing you can try:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Reading
- Going on a walk
- Getting a massage
- Taking a bath
- Listening to music
- Breathing exercises
Exercise and physical activity can reduce your stress, which is a major trigger for relapse. By implementing regular exercise in your daily schedule, you improve your mental and physical health as well as safeguarding your sobriety.
Care for your mental well-being
Your mental health plays a huge role in your sobriety. If you are in a bad place mentally, your risk of relapse increases. If you don’t care for your mental health, it can be hard to stay on track with your sobriety. Taking time out of your schedule to regularly check in with a mental health professional and/or to practice self-care can significantly increase your chances of staying sober long-term.
Learn how to be alone (and enjoy it)
It’s more common to relapse when you’re alone and lonely. An important skill to learn when you’re sober is how to be okay with being alone. You cannot be dependent on other people to take your mind off using. Time alone can help you find new hobbies and help you become more comfortable with yourself. If you have trouble being alone, some things you could try doing are going to a museum, watching TV, listening to music, reading a book, or going for a walk.
Focusing on Your Recovery at Design for Recovery
If you require more support to stay sober, Design for Recovery can provide you with the support you need. Design for Recovery offers a structured, safe environment to become more secure in your sobriety. Residents work hard daily to develop new skills, values, and coping mechanisms for approaching life in early recovery. At Design for Recovery, you can both become more comfortable abstaining from substance use and continue to build your new, sober life. With the help of Design for Recovery’s sober living services, you can begin to develop skills that will make you feel more confident in your recovery and help you stay sober long-term.