You’ve admitted your problem. You’ve sought out help. You’ve successfully completed your stay in rehab. What’s next? The journey isn’t over yet, but you’ve set the foundation for clean living, Now it’s time to put that plan into action. Going back into the real world can be a difficult challenge with its multiple triggers. It is now time to hold yourself responsible to stay on the straight and narrow. So what can you do to make sure you don’t fall off the wagon?
Consider After Care Treatment
Many rehab facilities work closely with after care services. This can include clean living residences, a place to live with others who are facing the same difficulties as you transition back into the world. There are typically curfews, meetings, and drug tests involved to make sure that residents are staying on track and a house monitor as well.
Continue Going To Meetings
No matter what addiction you are overcoming, there is always a group meeting you can attend. Whether online or in person, there are many companies, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, who provide resources for those who are beginning life again outside of rehab. Many local churches, community centers, or non-profits also hold groups and sessions where you can gain strength from those who are experiencing the same struggles as you are. These meetings will continue to reaffirm your decision to stay clean and provide you with a support system that will help out in both the good and bad times.
Keep Quality Company
Choose your friends wisely. Surround yourself with people who love and care about you, people who will hold you accountable for your actions. These people will help you when you are struggling and get you through the bad times. Make new friends at your clean living meetings and be each other’s support system!
Avoid those who were a part of your addiction in the past. By including them in your new life, you are allowing those memories and relationships to become a trigger for relapse. Those who didn’t support you getting clean or those who face drug problems of their own will only hinder your newly developed willpower and habits.
Avoid Triggers From Your Past Life
Not only does this involve avoiding people who were associated with your addiction, as stated above, but this also means avoiding places, habits, and things that were once a part of your drug abuse. When one comes into contact with any of these things, it can be difficult to avoid temptation. So do your best to stay away from bars, paraphernalia, or other drug addicts who may spur on your want to take one sip or do one hit for old time’s sake.
Keep In Touch With Doctors and Counselors
The health professionals who helped you break your addiction will always be willing to lend you a listening ear and helpful advice. Keeping in contact with those whom you feel most comfortable with and whom you find the most supportive will help you in times of temptation and weakness. These people can help you retain and practice the life skills you gained in rehab to stay clean and to set new goals for the future.
Form New Daily Routines
Make sure you are treating your body right as you merge back into the realities of life. By eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of quality sleep, and exercising on a consistent basis, you are eliminating many unpleasant physical and emotional feelings that may cause you to want to use again. Also, taking the time to unwind and de-stress at the end of the day is extremely important. By allowing yourself the time to read a book, get a massage, take a hot bath, or watch a movie, you are taking away negative feelings that could otherwise be detrimental to your new and healthy lifestyle.
Keep yourself busy. Find a job you love. Take a class. Volunteer in your community. Spend more time with loved ones. Create new hobbies. Do whatever it takes to keep your schedule moving and keep yourself satisfied with life. That way you’ll never want things to go back to the way they were.
Get Advice at DrugRehab.Org
If you need help on what you should do after you have successfully completed rehab, contact us today. Our counselors can help keep you on the path to clean living with all of our knowledge and resources.