When a person is coming off of an addiction to a substance or activity, they can feel a great deal of stress and anxiety. It’s not easy to transition from an addict to a sober individual, but if you get the right help, you will be able to get through the rough times. Pinnacle Recovery Center in Utah can offer help and guidance during your recovery journey.
Addicts suffer during their time of use because they are always thinking about their next fix and how they can find it. It’s not easy to break that cycle of thinking, but with some help, you can do it.
Tips To Help With Early Addiction Recovery
- Maintain good health -Taking care of one’s physical health is an important skill that must be learned during early recovery. When people are using, their physical health often takes a back seat to other concerns. Food, sleep, and exercise all become secondary to the drug or activity of choice. Learning to take care of one’s body is vital to maintain strength and energy through this stressful period.
- Stay Busy – In the early recovery stage, individuals benefit from finding ways to remain busy. By having a daily schedule, the recovering addict will find it easier to stay within their sober boundaries while also maintaining their sobriety. This may mean taking on additional responsibilities at work or in the household.
- N.A. Meeting Attendance – By attending regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings, the recovering addict will have a built-in support system that they can rely on when times are tough
- Avoid Temptation – As individuals early in their recovery journey learn to manage their addiction, one of the biggest temptations can be to feel like they are finally in control and do not need their recovery toolbox any longer. This is dangerous thinking and individuals must remain vigilant when it comes to maintaining sobriety.
- Get Educated – One of the best things an individual in early recovery can do for themselves is to become educated on their addiction. There are many online resources available to individuals recovering from substance use addiction, as well as treatment centers that offer seminars and classes on the disease of addiction.
- Create a Sobriety Support System – In early recovery, it is important to have a sober support system that the individual can turn to when times get tough. This may include a therapist, sponsor, or recovery coach who can help guide and support them in their early recovery journey.
- Get Active – Exercise is one of the best things an individual can do for themselves when in early recovery. By becoming active, it helps to clear the mind and promote positive self-esteem. In addition, by engaging in exercise, the individual will be less likely to fall back on old habits of using drugs or alcohol.
- Avoid Bad Influences – There are many bad influences in early recovery, both negative for people and places. Individuals should avoid these at all costs if they want to successfully maintain their sobriety.
- Reward Positive Behavior – One of the best ways to maintain sobriety is by rewarding the individual for their positive behaviors. Rewarding them for making healthy decisions, abstaining from drugs or alcohol, and setting good boundaries will help keep the focus on maintaining sobriety.
- Stay Around Positive People – Avoiding negative people is one of the best things an individual can do for early sobriety. Negative people have a way of dragging others down and causing them to relapse back into their addiction. By staying around positive people, the individual will be more likely to remain focused on their recovery, which is why attending regular meetings is an important component in early recovery.
Addiction is a serious disease and as such, it takes a great deal of planning, effort, and willingness on the part of the individual seeking sobriety to maintain their lifestyle change. An addict cannot stay clean on their own. By having the proper tools, support system, and following through with regular addiction treatment sessions, an individual can achieve long-term sobriety.
