How Do I Stay Sober After Rehab?

Meditation will help you quiet your mind and center yourself. Fresh air and sunshine are wonderful antidotes for depression and anxiety. Try out activities like hiking and surfing https://www.healthworkscollective.com/how-choose-sober-house-tips-to-focus-on/ to establish a deeper connection. Return to activities and pastimes you once found enjoyable. Chances are, you let some of those go a long time ago, just like your partner.

Those who have cancer may need to stick to an immune-healthy diet and avoid foods that will worsen their symptoms. If your loved one or friend is living a sober lifestyle due to an alcohol addiction or alcohol use disorder, they can’t drink alcoholic beverages. As addiction grows, loved ones often find themselves giving more of themselves than is fair. They often take up more and more of the slack, financially, emotionally, and with regards to responsibilities such as chores and childcare. This often continues in recovery, particularly in the early days when the recovering addict is focusing on rebuilding a new, sober life. However, this can also be exceptionally draining after a while.

Recognize that there’s a lot to learn about substance use disorder

When the people we care about struggle, it’s in our nature to want to help. If you’re concerned about helping your loved one stay sober, then there are a few ways you can assist them in their journey while also being mindful of your own needs. A house or living space with no alcohol or drugs is extremely helpful in early recovery. Even the sight of an empty bottle could trigger a relapse. Research has shown that people with substance use disorder are much more likely to be successful if they live in a sober space, especially in the early stages of recovery.

• Whatever their specific drinking patterns might be like, it can be incredibly challenging to watch a loved one struggle to manage their alcohol consumption.
• Even if you take nothing from these tips, please know that you can do this.
• Make a list of sober activities you can do, whether it’s cooking, working out, trying new board games, visiting museums or anything else that sounds fun and encourages healthy habits.

Someone trained in mental health can assist you in coping with complicated feelings. By removing all reminders early in their recovery process and by supporting a policy of abstinence for the whole family, you show your partner you’re committed to their wellness. As their recovery progresses, your loved one will need to learn to take ownership of their own sobriety, even when substances are accessible. Addiction creates many lasting problems, both for addicts and their loved ones. While sobriety will improve all of them, many will still be present during recovery. Financial problems are common, especially as the recovering addict tries to rebuild their career and pay off addiction related debts such as DUI expenses.

Find Balance in Your Life

The same advice you gave for years may only be truly “heard” coming from an expert or someone else dealing with an addiction. Getting support doesn’t have to mean going to rehab, although that is an option. Support can How to Choose a Sober House: Tips to Focus on also look like joining in-person and online support groups. One recent study demonstrated the potential benefits of combining in-person and online support methods. Relapse can and does happen, but it’s also preventable.

Be a friend—let them lead their life with the knowledge that mistakes can and do happen, but you cannot make their choices for them. It is also not your responsibility to question their choices. Your friend is the one most intimately aware of their own boundaries, and they get to create their own sober lifestyle. People in recovery from a substance use disorder frequently have problems meeting work-related responsibilities, maintaining employment, and managing money.