If you’re overcoming alcohol addiction, your main priorities must be your sobriety and overall health. If you don’t pay sufficient attention to these, your quality of life and well-being could easily spiral downward. Personal and professional challenges will continue to be a part of your life, but you’ll need to put a lot of your focus on staying sober to achieve long-term recovery from alcohol addiction. Relapse is a common part of addiction recovery but there are things you can do to support long-term sobriety.
When you got treatment for your alcoholism, your counselor or therapist likely helped you to come up with a plan for sober living. You will need to refer to this plan often and you may need ongoing individual, group or family therapy to help you stay on track. To improve your chances of success, you can make a range of positive lifestyle choices. We’ll look at some of them in this blog post. If you need additional support, be sure to reach out to an alcohol addiction recovery professional for guidance.
Make Yourself a Priority
Once you’re sober, there is a lot that you will need to do. You may have to repair broken relationships, fix your finances, and get treatment for physical health challenges. If you have children, elderly parents, or a demanding job, you’ll have even more on your plate. However, you still need to take time for yourself. Do things you love even if you can only take an hour each day to pursue your hobbies. Cook meals you enjoy, catch up on your favorite shows or relax with a good book.
Improve Your Physical Health
It’s virtually impossible to stay sober if you don’t make changes in all aspects of your life. This means finding positive activities to enjoy on a daily basis and cultivating healthy relationships. Many recovering addicts find that exercising, eating healthy meals, and getting adequate rest are very helpful. When you feel good physically, you’ll be better able to handle the challenges that life will inevitably throw at you. If you turned to alcohol when you experienced financial difficulty or relationship problems in the past, you’ll need to find new coping mechanisms. Otherwise, you could begin drinking again when you encounter challenges. Your physical health affects your mental health.
Practice Mindfulness Techniques
It’s easy to spend time worrying about the future or agonizing over the past. People recovering from addiction are especially likely to beat themselves up over what they did while they were intoxicated. They are also prone to anxiety about life going forward. However, you need to practice living in the moment and focusing on the present. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can help you to become more mindful. This will reduce your stress levels and help you to come up with practical solutions to problems in the present.
Seek Job Stability
Many people experience financial challenges, and this affects other areas of their lives. Financial difficulty can trigger anxiety, cause relationship problems, and make relapse more likely. Since you’ll need to eat and pay your bills, you may take the first job you can get in the early stages. However, as you start to get back on your feet, you should look at finding a stable career in a field you love.
Set Personal Goals
Another thing that can help you to stay on track is to set relationship goals. Determine what you want from your interactions with your partner, friends, and family and come up with a plan. You may also want to consider how you can be of service to your community. Keep track of your progress and reward yourself when you reach your goals.
Connect with Like-Minded Individuals
Many addicts find support groups invaluable. Maybe you met people in rehab who you want to stay in contact with or you want to find a new group. Either way, having someone to share your struggles and achievements with can make a big difference. While family support is important, your loved ones won’t always understand what you’re going through. Fostering the right connections can help you on the path to lasting recovery from alcohol addiction.
Practice Gratitude
The journey to sobriety is tough and you’re going to make mistakes along the way. However, you should acknowledge that you’re making progress. Be grateful for the new lease you have on life and work to overcome feelings of shame or guilt. Focus on your purpose and remain positive.
Contact Asheville Recovery Center for Help With Recovery from Alcohol Addiction
You don’t have to handle your recovery from alcohol addiction on your own. Our team can support you along the way and give you the tools and techniques you need to further empower yourself. If you have questions about our treatment programs or alcohol rehab insurance costs, call us today to learn about how we can help you.
