Many people feel a sense of accomplishment after completing rehab after becoming sober and changing their mindset. Although it can be a struggle to become sober, the real challenge can often be to maintain sobriety and return to the real world. If you’ve recently completed rehab, there are a few hard parts about staying sober to be prepared for to ensure you can avoid relapsing and make the right decisions. Knowing the challenges you may be facing can make it easier to be prepared and avoid surprises. You can have the right tools and a plan of action in place. Here are a few of the most difficult aspects of sobriety.
Peer Pressure
It can be easy to assume you’ll have the support of your family and friends after you become sober, but this isn’t always the case. You can still face peer pressure from individuals who are dealing with addictions of their own or don’t take your sobriety seriously. You’ll need to consider which people you’ll need to avoid having contact with to avoid the temptation to return to your addiction. Trying to spend time with people who are also addicts can be stressful and can eventually catch up to you when you’re trying to abstain from substance use. Surround yourself with people who will do what is necessary to help you stay clean and make good decisions.
Changing Your Lifestyle
One of the most important parts of staying sober after rehab is accepting that you can’t return to your former life. There are different habits, hobbies, and settings you’ll need to avoid if you want to prevent yourself from relapsing due to triggers. Avoid placing yourself in situations where drugs or alcohol may be present. Abstaining from places or settings that can cause you to become tempted isn’t worth the risk. Although it can be difficult to change your everyday life, you’ll need to focus on the reward of sobriety and what it offers in return. You may be giving up parts of your old life, but you’re getting more fulfillment and peace in replacement.
Coping with Stress
Many people have a hard time learning how to cope with stress because they once used drugs or alcohol to alleviate their anxiety. You’ll have to find new ways to deal with stress to avoid returning to your addiction. Think about which stressors are present in your life to ensure you can remove them and reduce some of the stress you experience each day. You may be in a toxic relationship or have struggles with your finances.
Addressing the root of your stress will make it easier to resolve the problems and have more peace each day. You’ll also need to find other ways to avoid stress when the unexpected occurs. Take time to relax and unwind each day. Consider meditating, exercising, and having conversations with friends you trust to learn how to cope with some of the problems you encounter in life. Over time, it’ll be easier to cope with challenges in life without returning to substances.
Encountering Boredom
It can be easy to become bored after you leave rehab and change the way that you spend your time. You may not know how to have fun or what to do if you’re avoiding the settings you used to visit throughout the week. You’ll need to think of activities you want to enjoy that are positive and allow you to feel fulfilled. You may want to practice photography, drawing, or start a new sport. Consider making goals for yourself that you can work towards, which can give you something to look forward to and spend time investing in as your lifestyle changes. You may want to further your education, start a new hobby, or volunteer in the community. Finding new ways to stay busy throughout the week will allow you to become distracted and more enriched. You can also occupy your time by finding new employment.
Consider working towards new career goals that allow you to further your life. It’s also important to find new people you can spend time with as you cut old people out of your life who are also addicts. This can allow you to have a new support group and surround yourself with positive people who help you to feel inspired. If you’re ready to get started on your recovery, you can reach out to us today at 614-705-0611. Our representatives are here to help and can answer your questions.