Topsail Addiction Treatment

Staying Sober After Detox and Rehab: Strategies for Long-Term Sobriety

strategies for long term sobriety

Completing an addiction treatment program is an incredible accomplishment. It takes great courage, dedication and strength to overcome substance abuse and build a life that you can be proud of. That said, it’s important not to let your guard down once you’ve left a rehab center. Even if you’re committed to staying sober, it can be easy to fall back into old habits after program completion.

Struggling to stay sober after rehab is not a sign of weakness. When you leave the safety of a residential treatment center, you may be faced with many of your old triggers, making it harder to stay on track. To achieve long-term sobriety, it’s crucial to have an addiction recovery plan in place. With the right set of strategies, you’ll have an easier time staying focused on your goals. These expert-backed methods can help bolster your recovery and boost your chances of success.

Mindfulness

When it comes to fighting addiction, the toughest battle takes place in your mind. Addictive substances have been shown to activate the brain’s reward center, which causes you to crave these substances and become dependent on them over time. You may even find yourself instinctively turning to drugs or alcohol to drown out unpleasant feelings or experiences. This is why many individuals in recovery still battle the temptation to use substances as a means of coping with sadness, disappointment, anxiety or loneliness.

To overcome this urge, it’s important to find healthier ways to deal with difficult emotions. Mindfulness is a powerful tool that helps you redirect your attention to the present moment. During mindfulness exercises, you simply observe your thoughts and feelings in the given moment without reacting to them. The goal is to accept your thoughts and emotions as they are, which can help you regulate them more effectively.

Mindfulness is a vital practice for those who are recovering from addiction. Oftentimes, a negative thought spiral can threaten to hurt your progress and increase the temptation to use substances. When this happens, remember to breathe and focus on the present moment. Allowing yourself to sit with unpleasant feelings can lessen their power and eventually strip them of the control they have over you.

Positive Reinforcement

During treatment, you worked hard to shed the bad habits that fed your substance use disorder. In post-rehab life, it’s vital to ensure that you don’t pick up these habits again. One way to support your recovery is to engage in positive reinforcement. This involves rewarding yourself with things that make you happy—whether it’s an activity you enjoy or a meal you look forward to eating—as you make progress on your journey toward sobriety.

Positive reinforcement is also an effective tool for encouraging a loved one to stick to their recovery plan. Rather than punish them for making mistakes or relapsing, focus on promising them a reward for hitting a sobriety milestone, for example. It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to the language you use around them. Take note of when your loved one opts to engage in a hobby or practice mindfulness over substance use, and point out that you’re proud of them for making a healthy choice.

Over time, these positive signals activate the reward center of the brain and make the recovering individual more likely to choose productive behaviors over substance use.

Support Groups

During your time in rehab, you had access to a whole team of experts who helped guide you toward your goals. You were also surrounded by peers who endured similar struggles and could relate to your situation. After leaving treatment, you might suddenly experience feelings of loneliness. Feeling lonely is especially dangerous for those in recovery, as it can raise the risk of relapse.

Fortunately, you’re never truly alone in addiction recovery. Support groups are available to provide you with the help and encouragement you need to maintain a sober lifestyle. Many recovering individuals see support groups as safe spaces where they can discuss their struggles without fear of being judged. Attending these meetings can also help you learn new coping mechanisms and craving management techniques that you can use throughout recovery.

There are many support groups you can join to reinforce your recovery. Some well-known options include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Cocaine Anonymous (CA). You can also look up support groups that hold meetings in your area so that you can easily participate.

Lifestyle Changes

You aren’t the same person you were before you began treatment. However, if you continue life after rehab without making any changes to your old routine, you’re putting yourself in a position to slip back into your old ways. It’s a good idea to take stock of your previous habits and determine what you can change going forward. Even small adjustments here and there can make a big difference in the long run.

For starters, ask yourself if your friend group is doing you more harm than good. Oftentimes, people living with substance abuse tend to associate with others who enable their addiction. Whether your friends supplied your substance of choice or used drugs or alcohol with you, continuing to spend time with them after rehab can severely hamper your progress. Instead, be sure to surround yourself with people who see the good in you and inspire you to be a healthier and better person.

There may be other triggers to be wary of in your daily life, whether it’s your route to work, your eating habits or even the music you listen to. Everyone recovering from addiction has a unique set of triggers. The important thing is to be cognizant of them and know how to distance yourself from them when they show up.

Healthy Habits

Once you’ve weeded out all the negative influences in your life, it’s time to shift your focus to the positive changes you can make. Adopting healthy habits can help establish a firm foundation for long-term sobriety. When you make an effort to live a healthier life, you’ll likely find that you feel happier and more energetic on a day-to-day basis. This will make it easier to keep your distance from drugs or alcohol.

There are endless habits you can adopt to enjoy a more fulfilling life. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some changes you can slowly incorporate into your lifestyle:

  • Eat three well-balanced meals a day.
  • Exercise on a regular basis.
  • Make high-quality sleep a priority.
  • Set aside time for hobbies and interests.
  • Spend time with friends and family.

It can be overwhelming to think about making all of these changes in your life. However, there’s no need to do it all at once. Taking it one step at a time will make this list seem more palatable. For example, setting aside just ten minutes for exercise each morning can set a much better tone for the rest of the day. Even making a short phone call to someone you love helps improve your mood considerably.

Make a Long-Term Commitment to Sobriety

Addiction recovery doesn’t end the moment you check out of a rehab facility. It’s a lifelong commitment that requires you to show up each and every day. Some days are harder than others, and slip-ups may occur. But with the help of a solid recovery plan, you can handle the ups and downs with more self-confidence and determination.

At Topsail Recovery, we’re here to help ease the transition from residential rehab to outpatient treatment. Our caring and supportive staff is rigorously trained in addiction treatment and provides customized tools for each patient to reach their recovery goals. Contact us today to learn more about our personalized treatment plans for yourself or a loved one.

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