If you have battled addiction in your life and come through the other end, congratulations are in order. No one has to explain how tough it can be to battle drug or substance abuse because almost everyone can imagine the difficulty.
However, what most people do not know, including the newly sober, is how hard it can be to maintain your new lifestyle. As an addict, you will have been accustomed to a certain way of life, but all that has to change if you want your recovery to be a success. Quite simply, the battle is only just beginning.
Here are a few tips that will, hopefully, help you win the war.
Stay Positive
No matter what anyone says, you must be positive. Yes, this very article might mention that it is difficult to achieve sobriety. Still, that doesn’t mean you are doomed from the start. The point that you need to remember is that you cannot achieve anything if you don’t have the right attitude. ‘Oh, so sobriety is hard to maintain? Okay, I am just going to work twice as hard to make sure I win’! That is the thought process that is conducive to success.
Embrace The Temptation
Of course, you have to fight temptation on a daily basis to stay clean. Although that is going to be difficult, studies show it is vital if you want to increase your ability to fight the cravings. Once you let a craving pass, your neural connections begin to get stronger. The stronger they become, the easier it is to resist. It is worth noting that it is never easy to resist, but it does become less difficult over time.
Keep Your Support Group
The experts at A Fresh Start Sober Living believe that your support group is essential. For your initial recovery, you are surrounded by people who are trying to help. Normally, they are medical professionals who have everything you need to fight your battle. However, after twenty-eight days, or the total length of rehab, that starts to disperse. Obviously, you need to start taking responsibility. But, there is nothing wrong with needing others to make the transition easier. A weekly support group is always a good idea, no matter how confident you are that you have kicked the habit. Also, surround yourself with your family and friends. The happier they make you, the more indispensable they become.
Live In The Moment
One temptation that often sees addicts relapse is the temptation to live in the future. You are so obsessed with winning your battle that you forget to live in the here and now. Living in the future is dangerous because you lose perspective. Suddenly, you think ‘how am I going to do this’? Everything seems so hard when it is for a lifetime. Take life one day at a time and fight your daily battles. That is hard enough without having to cross bridges that don’t even exist yet.
No one is going to tell you, or shouldn’t tell you, that you will never relapse. There is a chance you could fail. But, until that day comes, you are succeeding and moving forward one step at a time.
