How to Stay Sober: 10 Tips Aftercare

You need to investigate and challenge the internal monologue about what you are owed and what you are lacking—some of which might be a carryover from addiction. Then you can break down those defensive walls and forgive other people, and you can approach the holiday season with a stronger sense of gratitude. Finally, remember that you are not alone on your journey to sobriety. Reach out for help when needed and don’t be afraid to talk about the struggles you’re facing.

• And keep your schedule loose enough that you have time for group meetings and other things that can help you through rough stretches.
• It’s continual treatment to help you get better, continue checking in and isolate why you turned to alcohol in the first place and how to avoid triggers going forward.
• The early days of recovery from substance abuse can be especially challenging.

Luckily, Into Action has options for dealing with your family holiday without sacrificing your sobriety or sanity. In that time, Julie’s brother-in-law, who always arrives under the influence of drugs, drinks too much and starts arguments. Alcohol consumption and abuse may cause you to look tired and puffy. This might look like joining a support group (even if you haven’t relapsed), continuing or restarting therapy or counseling, getting a personal trainer, nutritionist or even life coach. If you aren’t feeling ready to be around alcohol-infused parties or have already gone to a few and have recognized you’ve reached your limit, you can always host your own sober party. The holidays can be exhausting for everyone, and because of that, they’re often when we take care of ourselves the least.

Develop and Maintain a Structured Schedule

Look to the people you trust who will stand by your recovery program. If you know the holiday is going to be difficult, attend a meeting the night before. Schedule a call with your sponsor on the morning of the holiday. Take a breather from the party and make an outreach call during the event.

• If others drinking at a party could be a trigger, for instance, you may want to bypass it altogether.
• If you continue to do things the same way as before, it will be hard to expect to keep your sobriety.
• This includes finding ways to prevent or limit any relapses.
• Consider how these family dinners played out in the past.
• The benefit of exploring these healthy coping tools and alternative activities will be long-lasting, and potentially lifesaving.

You ever try to cut something out of your diet you ingest every day? Suffice to say, it’s difficult, but it can be an excellent way to help you stay sober. Removing daily substances from your system causes a sort of waterfall effect of changing mental and bodily functions. Metabolism rises and falls, bowel movements, and even one’s ability to focus on tasks. Food can be a trigger as much as family or a job can. Take on a diet that’s sustainable (not just a fad) and stick to it to help establish a new routine.

How to Stay Sober

Building a support system is important to maintaining sobriety. A support system can provide emotional, practical, and accountability support and can be a vital resource in times of difficulty. New Year’s resolutions are a great way to focus on improving and developing yourself. Many people choose to make resolutions about their health and well-being, such as quitting smoking or drinking less alcohol.

It responds to either emotional, physical, or mental distress in which alcohol or drugs seem like the logical response. Different people struggle with substance abuse for various reasons. For example, some will engage in substance abuse https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-ways-to-destress-after-work/ to escape emotional distress, financial troubles, relationship troubles, underlying mental illness, or existing trauma. Identifying the triggers through case management is a crucial component in learning to maintain sobriety.

Ways to Get Sober from Alcohol

While lifelong abstinence is easier said than done, taking the proper steps can go a long way on the road to recovery. This includes finding ways to prevent or limit any relapses. Acknowledging your effort and hard work is vital to maintain motivation; however, ensure that the rewards focus on supporting your new healthy lifestyle. Does three hours with your mother leave you craving a drink? Get quiet, ask your Higher Power for some guidance on the perfect time limit. No one needs to know the real reason you’re leaving early.

Pyramid Healthcare is here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today and we’ll figure out how we can best support you during this time. For example, we might fear that we don’t know where we’re headed, and we’d prefer to stay where we are rather than face the unknown. But change will happen no matter how hard we resist it. The mistakes we make along the path are glorious growth opportunities.

You may want to reflect on this list when you feel cravings to drink. If you’ve been curious about how to stop drinking alcohol and get sober, you might be wondering where to start. Keep reading to learn about steps you can take to stop drinking, take back control of your life, and how to get sober from alcohol to start the path to recovery and long-term sobriety. While it’s one of the most essential tips for staying sober in 2021, creating a schedule is important regardless of the year.

• Your therapist can help you formulate healthy coping mechanisms that don’t involve a chemical crutch.
• Sleep patterns are often disrupted by substance abuse.
• Friends, family, and loved ones can all be powerful supporting figures, and recovery programs like 12-step programs or counseling are also extremely effective.
• If you feel scared or unsafe in your own home, reach out for help.
• It involves replacing old habits with new and healthy ones.
• In addition, you can set goals for yourself that could be daily or future goals.

If you’re having a hard day, they will rush to your aid to ensure you don’t slip back. They shouldn’t become a crutch, but they will always be thankful you turned to them instead of to your addiction. Again, staying sober isn’t a punishment, it’s a reward. But understandably, it may not feel like it initially. Going to rehab and coming back to your day-to-day life is kind of like accidentally burning your house down; you’re endlessly thankful to be alive, but you’ve got a lot of rebuilding to do. This is one of the reasons, the I Am Sober app focuses on celebrate your milestones, so you see the immediate reward as you build to longer and longer milestones.

Bring Your Own Drinks

With time, it will get easier, but especially when you’re jumping back in, keep a strict schedule. Getting sober is a sprint, staying sober is like running a marathon without a finish line. On the plus side, you have people cheering you on and giving you support at various checkpoints. On the negative side, you will have long stretches of isolation, sweating bullets, seeing spots, and feeling like your legs are going to give out as you hit the runner’s wall.

Each and every day, write down a couple of things you are grateful for. If you’re having a bad day, look at your list and remember how far you’ve come. It takes more than 30 days to develop and nurture a solid foundation for sobriety. By Buddy T

Buddy T is a writer and founding tips to stay sober member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.

Find a Peer Support Group

If you’re not comfortable in a traditional therapy environment, consider telehealth therapy. It’s great to have plans and structure when you’re focused on sobriety during vacation, but it’s also helpful to go with the flow. Having a flexible mindset will help protect you if something doesn’t go according to plan. Make the commitment to not drink on vacation as early on in the planning process as possible. Visualize how you want the trip to go and how you would like to feel during it to create an experience you’ll truly enjoy. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing.