For many, overcoming substance addiction has probably one of the biggest
challenges in life that they have faced. You suffered with your
addiction and finally made the brave decision in accepting the problem.
You seek medical help, undergone treatment and medication and have
finally stopped using. However, now that you are living your life in
sobriety, life’s challenges will still knock upon you that may trigger
you in abusing drugs or alcohol again and may end up relapsing. But,
this time, you are much stronger to deal with life’s challenges. Your
biggest challenge now is learning how to handle emotions and stressor
while maintaining a clean and sober life. Part of that sober life is
fighting back the impulse to use again. One of the best ways to make
that happen is by attending meetings and sessions at support groups. By
being with other recovering addicts, you can find the people who are
going through the same situation as yours and can develop the common
support that you need.
It will also helpful to engage with
different kinds of healthy activities and not linked to alcohol and drug
use. It could mean avoiding some old friends that influenced you in
abusing a substance in the past. Instead, surround yourself with your
positive, sober and supportive friends and family. Replace your old
negative behaviors with habits such as sports, exercise or volunteer
work. However, while making these positive changes, be careful of
substitute addiction. Sometimes, people are not aware that they are
already developing another addiction like overeating or obsessive buying
in order to replace your old habit.
Once alcohol or drugs has
been removed from the person’s life, he certainly has to face the
damages cause by their addiction at some point. Giving up the abuse of
the substance does not mean escaping from the financial issues or other
issues created during the addiction. After getting clean in the rehab,
there are challenges, issues and losses that alcoholics and addicts have
to face. Applying the tools, skills and strategies they have learned in
the recovery programs rehab will give the addict a much higher chance
of maintaining a sober life. Sobriety is more satisfying than a recovery
full of relapses and new addictions due to ignored emotions and other
matters.
Recovery programs rehab provides newly recovered addicts
with the secure knowledge of dealing with the difficulties of everyday
living without much pressure in dealing with family and friends; some
may be supportive of the approach while some may not. Recovery programs
rehab offers an excellent sober living home and gives the addict enough
time in developing coping strategies. After accomplishing those
strategies, the recovering addicts can go back home with higher
self-confidence and feeling stronger.
Imagining a sober lifestyle
is certainly admirable, but for a newly recovered addict, it can be
very difficult. Deal the challenges of sobriety one day at a time and
always remember to benefit from all the positive alterations in your
life.
