In readying oneself for recovery and taking sobriety seriously, we must focus on the best ways to stick to our guns through the weeks, months, and years to come. Sometimes the best recovery tips can be found in simple places, and perhaps are not among the most common of sobriety mantras. As individuals and unique persons who now know ourselves more than ever, it is okay to be accepting of the fact that solutions to addiction are customizable. Your life and experiences will continue to differ as time goes on, but being aware of the possibilities of breaking sobriety and how each obstacle applies to us in its unique way is imperative.

Leading into a life that is to remain drug- and alcohol-free, every step counts. There is a certain ascertained science to recovery that, if taken seriously, can guide us through every possible point of weakness. In looking at our lives—our decisions, moves toward the future, the company we keep and the places we frequent—and applying these meticulous recovery solutions, we can cover each base, each potential setback, and soon be operating in a consistently positive manner, without much thought at all.

Beware of what lies ahead in the world of recovery. Know yourself, how healthy you are, how responsible you’re being, and how to keep yourself this way. There will be times of difficulty, but keeping solutions that work for you in mind as you face every potential bump in the road will help you hold your head up toward the light of sobriety.

Solutions: Nothing Is Universal

“One day at a time,” so many often say. They say it is the best way to approach life as a newly sober individual. They also say it is the best way to stick to every minute of sober living, dissecting time and honing in on now instead of tomorrow.

For some, this may be a good lesson. This may be the golden ticket that gets you to the life you’ve always wanted. Those stepping stones, small as they are, may be the most reliable objects in your life. But, for many, this one-size-fits-all technique of sticking to sobriety is not always the best option, nor the most emotionally-satiating way to stick to a recovery plan.

Knowing when lessons in the school of recovery are for us, and in turn, when they are not, can make or break sobriety. One sure thing is that most lessons should be taken with a grain of salt until fully applied and used in that customized, unique way that applies to our lives. While letting go of drugs and alcohol is an absolute MUST for every addicted person, how we get to that point and beyond has to be molded to who we each are as people.

Good Isn’t Good For Everyone

Perhaps it may sound odd to discourage healthful activities, such as working out or counting carbs. But, in getting sober, it is wise to follow the idea that excessive action or activity of any kind is NOT good for recovery. Sure, sticking to healthy options in life, being morally good, and promoting a positive atmosphere in which to live are all wonderful aspects of being a better person. However, being aware of who you are and what you’re capable of becoming hooked on is utterly important.

There are many activities you might consider cutting back on, and while the list may surprise you, think earnestly of what applies to you:

• Working out at the gym
• Running/outdoor activity
• Attending therapy
• Working
• Playing video games
• Eating
• Cleaning
• Sleeping
• Socializing
• Smoking
• Obsessing over future activities

Habitual Tendencies And Harder Things

This thought, again, may differ from person to person, but while focused on potentials, do yourself a favor and consider which activities you engage in most often and whether or not you may be needing to replace some of these time slots with different activities.

Change it up in life a bit before becoming engaged in one certain mode. Also remember that it is easy to switch from something like binge drinking to excessive cigarette smoking. Not everyone scolds a person in recovery against smoking cigarettes, but the action, the repetitive nature of the activity, and the feeling it produces in us is just another addiction.

Among common replacement of one drug for the other, a most dangerous activity is ceasing one type of drug use, becoming enslaved by negative emotion, and then self-medicating with drugs, such as Xanax. This desire to feel better mocks the old you, the you who needed to patch life up with drugs and alcohol. Remember that it really doesn’t matter if a doctor gave it to you, prescription drug abuse is a common encore after a previous drug of choice is set aside.

Be You; Soldier On

If some new habit has emerged in your life which poses a threat to your sobriety, one of the steps you can take toward staying sober and relieving yourself of this negative trait is to join an outpatient program that specializes in maintenance of sobriety. You may, under programs like these, be in contact with a counselor as you need it, speak in peer-to-peer sessions, and even go to group meetings periodically.

Everything in moderation is no joke. Obsession is quick to turn into something more serious when the disease of addiction is present. Know you, know your limits, be ready to put your foot down and find the better road. Don’t always take every moment and every day to be the only moment or standalone day in the world. Tomorrow does matter, so find out how best to treat yourself—sans drugs—and do that in moderation.

Many of these activities are great. Going to church, attending group meetings, speaking with a therapist… all of these can keep you on a path to success. But still, regard each of these, as well as many other good things in life, as risks that should not be overused. Let your schedule be flexible, yet responsible. Go to work and do well, but don’t let work be your only source of happiness. Likewise, come home and play Call of Duty, but remember that you have to shut it off at some point, and let it gather some dust.

Reach Out For Help

For more information on staying sober and finding solutions for recovery, please contact us here at DrugRehab.org.

We are here to help you as you endeavor to recover from addiction, so don’t hesitate to let us guide you toward a better day.