Daily strategies to keep you sober

GenPsych February 2018

Daily strategies to keep you sober. If you find yourself addicted to drugs or alcohol, part of the problem is that relying on these substances becomes a habit. A habit is a behavior done regularly, most often without even thinking about it. We all know how hard habits are to break, especially bad ones. If you are abusing alcohol or drugs, you are running away from reality and avoiding unpleasant feelings. Today is a great day to start making healthier choices.

Daily strategies to keep you sober:  We all develop good habits by reminding ourselves to repeat specific behaviors until they are something you do without even thinking. Hopefully, you have already established many healthy habits such as working out, personal hygiene and a positive outlook on life. Eventually, training yourself to start leading a sober life is something that will become a habit. Below are some routines that can help keep you on the right path to recovery from substance abuse.

Find local substance abuse meetings and groups.

Daily strategies to keep you sober: One of the best habits you can develop is to attend local meetings for Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous regularly. By attending these meetings, you learn different opinions and techniques about the 12 steps and can learn so much from the experiences of others. Over time, these meetings and interactions will help you develop an arsenal of strategies on how to stay clean and sober.

Most recovery experts recommend you choose at least one addiction recovery group to join. When you enter a group, commit yourself and the other members to show up to at least one meeting every week. Being present will enable you to make bonds with the other members and learn from each other. You will end up having a support group consisting of people who understand your struggles and can help you through the tough times. When you have people counting on you and people who care about you, it makes your chances of success much higher.

Sponsors and or mentors

Daily strategies to keep you sober: Choosing that one special person to be your sponsor is an integral part of a sober life. The right sponsor can share their experiences, recovery strengths and hope, and listen to the questions and concerns you may not want to share. Most people think of their sponsor as a lifeline during and after their recovery. A sponsor is also a teacher, special friend and a voice of addiction recovery wisdom whenever you may need them.

If you have not been able to find the right sponsor yet, you can start working with an addiction professional, such as a counselor. Or in the meantime, ask someone to sponsor you temporarily until you find the right long-term sponsor.

Ask, ask, ask for Help

Daily strategies to keep you sober: Asking others for help is probably the most important habit you can develop in sobriety. In recovery, you will also need to make a habit of reaching out to other people. Start small by asking one or two people for their contact information at every meeting you attend. When you are not in meetings, reach out and make contact with at least one person every day, even if you just say hello. Not being afraid and knowing how to ask for help is a vital tool especially when you feel like your sobriety is at risk.

Remember people don’t know you are struggling if you don’t tell them. Make a habit of reaching out to other people and letting them know you need help. Don’t Drink or take Drugs, No Matter What is going on. Most recovery programs teach that you to stay away from drugs and alcohol one day at a time. Just for today, make that choice to stay away from grabbing that one drink or drug no matter what is happening.  If you feel like you can’t hang on for the whole day, just take it one minute at a time.

Soon before you realize, you will have created a healthy, positive, habit of making sober choices when you feel stressed or vulnerable. Work hard to train yourself to take the right actions every minute of every day, one day at a time. Sooner than you think, you will develop a new habit of living your life without the need for alcohol or drugs. Daily strategies to keep you sober.

GenPsych has five treatment centers throughout New Jersey. We offer an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) to help our clients recover from Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Alcohol and Drug Addiction. If you or a loved one need help, don’t wait, start today. Phone: 855-436-7792 https://genpsych.com/