Adult Family Health Services (AFHS) recognizes that maintaining sobriety is no easy feat. We do not mean this to sound discouraging, but rather, acknowledge the process comes with its challenges. It requires a lot of perseverance and commitment; you must remain present and avoid triggers to move forward. This means you need a strategy in order to get to a place where you fully embrace sobriety and those things become an unconscious lifestyle. Here are a few key tips to get you there:
Have a schedule and stay busy. Part of avoiding triggers is not looking back to the people, behaviors, and comfort that live in your active addiction. Therefore, it helps to have a job or hobby that you enjoy and get into a routine.
Stick with your support people. These are the individuals who want to see you win; they want to see you safe, happy and healthy. If a conversation ever sounds like “one won’t hurt,” trust us, they’re not your people.
Learn how to respond to your triggers. It is likely that at some point you will encounter a situation that could be triggering to your sobriety and it is important to know how to handle it when it does.
Embrace a healthy lifestyle and prioritize self-care. When you were in active addiction your overall health likely suffered. Now that you’re on a path to recovery, it’s important to treat your mind and body like a temple. This means exercising, eating well, and intentionally taking time to put yourself first; do whatever makes you happy.
Celebrate your wins. Even if you are only 2 days sober, celebrate it! Count each sober day as a blessing and continue to celebrate anything that pushes you forward.
Stay positive! There’s a quote that says, “A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you.” This is the perfect sentiment to help you maintain that sober mindset.
If nothing else, sometimes it helps to just get things out. We understand that sometimes you may be haunted by your past, making it difficult to move forward, but for many people getting those feelings out is extremely therapeutic. In many cases, individuals who are committed to their sobriety benefit from talk therapy and/or group therapy. Whether you want more personalized 1-on-1 care, or to surround yourself with individuals that get it, AFHS has a solution for you. If you are struggling to maintain your sobriety, do not be afraid to reach out and ask for help; it’s ok and we’ll be here for you!