Many credit their decision to get sober as one of the best choices they’ve ever made in their lives. Roughly 30% of Americans live clean and sober lifestyles, and you may be on your way to being one of them.
Recovery from drug or alcohol addiction can be difficult. And all those who attempt to live sober fear the threat of a relapse, especially in the early stages. There are steps you can take in your life to help prevent a relapse.
Read on, and we’ll walk you through five life hacks that can help to keep your recovery on track.
1. Get A Hobby
Many recovering addicts struggle with what to do in their idle time. Pockets of your weekly schedule that used to involve drinking or drug use sit empty and need to be filled.
The most constructive thing a recovering addict can do is to get a hobby. Embrace something you’ve always been interested in. Keeping your body and mind busy can help keep your mind off substances and on to new experiences instead.
2. Start A Healthy Lifestyle
Recovery can be hard and has a number of physical side effects. Cravings are frequent and irritating. A great way to stave off these feelings is with a healthy diet and a good deal of exercise.
Exercise releases endorphins in the body that make you feel good and help to deter cravings. They also relieve stress. Eating well-balanced meals with proper nutrients also helps to stave off cravings and create better physical and mental health.
3. Adopt A Pet
Sometimes you need to force structure on yourself to make a change. Adopting a pet can be a great way to do this.
Pets come with a lot of responsibility. They require walking, feeding, attention, and more. This big change can be just the shake-up you need to reorganize your life schedule. And taking care of another creature can help you focus less on yourself.
4. Join Support Groups
It’s always helpful to know you’re not going through something alone. There a huge number of support groups for those venturing into sobriety, and there are likely many in your own community.
Many treatment centers focused on substance abuse have such support groups. They can aid in recovering from this addiction.
The social support will help you to resist cravings, and you can learn new coping mechanisms that have worked for others in your group. Who knows, you may even find new friends for life.
5. Walk Away From Stress
Many people begin to abuse substances as a method of stress avoidance. As you journey to a clean and sober life, work to identify and remove sources of stress in your life. Attempt to walk away from stressful situations when you can.
Reducing the amount of stress in your life can reduce cravings and leave you happier and more fulfilled overall.
Tips For A Clean and Sober Life
Sobriety is a blessing, but the journey there can be difficult, especially for newcomers. Taking some of the above tips into consideration, and finding new ones that work for you, can make the transition much smoother.
Want to know more about healthy living? Check out our blog for more tips and tricks.