How to remain sober after addiction recovery

The transition from an addiction-filled life to sobriety is laced with ups and downs. Due to the complicated nature of addiction, it is possible for an individual to relapse even after completing treatment.

To remain sober, the individual has to be conscious and deliberate about navigating life and avoiding triggers thrown at them.

If you just got sober, here are some tips to remain this way

  • Get a support system

Nobody can go through life by themselves. With the involvement of addiction, it becomes more challenging to think you can handle your post-recovery period alone.

You need the right set of people around to provide the support that keeps you going.

Generally, the support system would constitute your counselor, therapist, family, sober friends, and acquaintances, etc. You should always have people that encourage you to remain sober.

  • Keep up with aftercare treatment

It is normal to feel vibrant and energetic after addiction recovery. This is why some people feel reluctant to keep going for aftercare treatment because they are doing great. However, it is important not to underrate aftercare treatment.

This treatment phase helps to remind you about your coping strategies and how you can keep implementing them successfully. See the aftercare treatment as an accountability group that keeps tabs on you to prevent you from relapsing.

  • Live a healthy life

As subtle as it sounds, implementing healthy life practices can be difficult but the benefits are numerous. You need a healthy life to help you remain sober after addiction recovery. With healthy life practices, you will be able to keep addiction at bay.

  • Manage your stress levels

It is quite impossible to state that you can completely keep stress out of the occasion. No matter how rested or free you might be, stress has a way of creeping up on you. All you have to do is manage your stress levels to prevent them from going overboard.

Finally, it is important to always keep in touch with your counselor and be accountable to them to prevent a relapse after addiction recovery.

Reasons why relapse occurs after addiction recovery

When some people recover from addiction, they never expect to relapse but due to some circumstances, they find themselves dwelling in their addiction again.

This is normal for everyone who passes through addiction treatment because there is always a chance that they would relapse, even after fulfilling all the requirements at the addiction treatment center.

One of the primary reasons why this happens is because addiction and becoming sober are like two worlds apart. The individual might not be fully suited to take on the demands of the new world, which can cause their addiction eventually.

To understand the full concept of relapse, here are some reasons why it occurs

  • Unhealthy life practices

If a sober individual does not take their health seriously after recovering from addiction, there is a chance that they will relapse. They need to take their diet, rest, physical activity, and other aspects of their health with full consciousness.

  • Hanging out with friends who can trigger their addiction

Recovering individuals need to choose their new set of friends and acquaintances carefully as they integrate themselves into the world again. Some friends can trigger your addiction, so it is best to treat them at arm’s length.

Look out for individuals who encourage you to be sober and remain healthy. Such friends will always look out for you to ensure your addiction recovery does not regress.

  • Inability to apply coping strategies

At a standard addiction treatment center, one of the things that recovering addicts learn is developing profound coping strategies to fight off triggers. Someone who lacks the know-how to apply these coping strategies is likely to relapse.

Therefore, it is important to pay good attention to what is being taught at the rehab to prevent a relapse.

Finally, every recovering individual needs to look out for their stress levels. Stress is one of the primary enemies of sober individuals. When you discover that something is stressing you out, you can detach yourself and place more priority on your health.