Completing an addiction treatment program is a significant first step toward long-term recovery, but it doesn't always mean you'll never feel the urge to use drugs or drink again.
Statistics show that 3 out of 4 people with addiction go on to recover and live sober. However, this usually occurs after people relapse multiple times. The good news is that once you have a long-term recovery plan in place you can stick to, the road to sobriety will become much more manageable.
You just need to learn more about the essential supports and tools to implement in your life. In this guide, you'll learn how to achieve long-term recovery from addiction.
One of the first steps you need to take to maintain addiction recovery is to make lifestyle changes. To do this, you have to look honestly at the lifestyle you had during your addiction.
Think about the food you used to eat and how much you exercised. It's also important to reflect on what you did during your free time. Once you do this, you can start making gradual changes that include:
Many people with substance use disorders are low on specific nutrients they need to stay healthy. A poor diet can leave you low on energy, and you can even experience symptoms like depression and anxiety. These feelings often lead to cravings for alcohol and drugs, keeping you in a stressful cycle of addiction.
Alcohol addiction can cause deficiencies in essential nutrients like:
Deficiencies in these nutrients can put you at risk for liver damage, internal bleeding, and poor bone health. You'll also experience symptoms like dental issues, muscle loss, and getting sick easily.
If you struggle with drug addiction to substances like methamphetamines and cocaine, you often don't eat enough food overall. You also won't drink enough water, increasing the risk of problems like dehydration, low electrolytes, and heart rate changes. As a result, you'll have symptoms like brain fog, severe weight loss, and trouble chewing your food normally.
No matter what substance you struggle with, you must start drinking plenty of water and avoid too many caffeinated drinks like soda.
Including plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats is also crucial. In addition, dairy food like cheese, yogurt, and milk can help strengthen your gums and teeth.
Focus on making a healthy meal plan for the week and ensure you eat enough throughout the day. Start slowly and be patient with yourself. Remember, changing your diet takes time and won't happen overnight.
Exercise is also vital to staying sober long-term. Studies show that people who commit to a regular exercise program are more likely to remain in recovery. Exercise releases specific neurochemicals in your body, making you feel much better about yourself.
It also helps you to make healthy social connections, reducing boredom and loneliness, which are triggers that can lead to relapse.
So, your next step is to get enough exercise each day. You can start by going for a walk or run. You can also consider joining a gym and enrolling in a class like yoga. Also, think about something you've always wanted to try, like hiking or canoeing, and work to include that in your routine.
When you're no longer using substances, you'll discover you have much more time on your hands. Extra time can lead to boredom and anxiety, so finding new activities to focus on is essential.
Remember, you must change your entire life to maintain long-term sobriety, so this is the time to think about what inspires you.
First, if you don't have a job, consider what type of work you're interested in. Even finding a part-time job can prevent relapse. It can also lead to full-time employment in the long run. You can also consider going back to school to get a degree.
It's also a good idea to focus on hobbies that interest you. Have you ever wanted to spend time drawing or painting? Or maybe you're interested in learning how to cook?
Don't hesitate to step outside the box and try new hobbies and activities. You'll make new friends and form a healthier routine overall.
Being conscious and aware of your behaviors and thought patterns is a key step in sober living. For example, if you have problems with alcohol, think about what makes you want to drink.
This could involve being at a bar with certain people or feeling stressed. You might also struggle with depression and anxiety and turn to alcohol to cope with your symptoms.
So, instead of going to the bar and having a drink, go for a walk or paint a picture. It's all about awareness of these thought patterns and deciding to do something different. Doing this helps to break you out of the addiction cycle.
Finally, being aware of your relapse triggers also helps you to recognize relapse warning signs before it becomes a more significant problem. Warning signs you should be aware of include:
You should also continue to get counseling and support for any mental health problems you're experiencing. Ongoing behavioral therapy will help you manage these behaviors even further.
Meditation has been used for thousands of years for healing purposes and in religious practices. It's also extremely useful in treating addiction. Meditation allows you to connect with yourself and with a higher power. Meditation involves sitting quietly with yourself and observing your body and thought processes.
As you sit quietly, focus on your breath and observe your thoughts as they enter and exit your mind. Observe these thoughts without judgment and let them be as they are.
Mindfulness involves being present in your life and is a gentle way of opening your mind to a deeper awareness. The best way to start with mindfulness is to begin paying attention to seemingly mundane things during the day. For example, observe how the water feels on your hands while you wash dishes. Or pay attention to the texture and taste of your food while eating.
It will take some practice, but you'll soon find that practicing mindfulness daily will help you to stay in the present moment and decrease your stress overall.
These practices also lead to allowing spirituality into your life. In fact, addiction treatment programs worldwide use a 12-step program that includes spiritual studies due to its effectiveness in long-term recovery.
Developing healthy and positive relationships is essential when trying to break free of substance abuse. In many cases, you'll need to make new friends once you go through a rehab program. This is because avoiding drug-using friends or old drinking buddies is necessary to keep you in recovery.
One of the first steps you need to take is to get away from the codependent or toxic relationships you had while using. These relationships can lead you to depend on others for self-acceptance, approval, and love.
If you have any old friendships left after your treatment program, evaluating them honestly is crucial. If these relationships are with people who you depended on for drugs or alcohol or with people who are still using them, then it's time to reevaluate.
Many people with drug or alcohol addiction feel alone, often invisible to other people. Once treatment ends, the road to long-term sobriety can seem long and lonely. This is why you must find the right addiction support during your recovery.
First, you'll need strong family support. This is especially important when you've had to end many of your old friendships that involved going to the bar and partying. Once you're sober, you'll work on healing the past and positively moving forward with family members.
If you haven't attended a residential treatment program or have only been to detox, you may need to consider continuing your treatment if you're still struggling. You might not realize that these programs do much more than help you detox from alcohol and drugs. You'll get ongoing behavioral health therapy and help with education and job training.
You'll also get access to peer support groups like 12-step recovery programs. Support groups provide many benefits to people looking to stay sober long-term. Sharing stories with others who have been through similar situations is very therapeutic. You'll get the support, encouragement, and motivation to keep going.
Many different support groups are available that follow faith-based principles, such as:
Attending at least one support group meeting a week is best, but you can always participate in more meetings when you need to. Some people in recovery choose to attend one session daily to keep them on track. If you find a meeting you like, don't be afraid to stick with it. It's all about finding what works for you.
Once you're farther along in your recovery, you might even discover that you want to help others recover. Recovered addicts can relate to other people's struggles and make excellent addiction counselors.
Many drug and alcohol counseling centers hire former addicts due to their effectiveness. Once you feel comfortable, you can look into online educational programs to get certified and graduate quickly.
If you've lived with addiction for a long time, you may struggle with different aspects of your life. Career or relationships with your family can be challenging. You might also find it tough to find a full-time job you can stick to.
Sober living homes offer drug and alcohol-free environments that help you to establish and maintain sobriety. Sober living homes provide you with more freedom than rehab centers with intensive recovery programs. You'll pay monthly fees that cover your basic needs like room and board and meals.
Once you're in a sober living home, you're ready to come and go independently, but you'll also have to participate in a specific number of meetings. You'll be held accountable for maintaining your sobriety. You'll be provided with support such as:
Since mental health problems often go hand and hand with addiction, individual behavioral counseling is very important. You'll get ongoing counseling and medication management at a sober living home to help you with your mental health struggles.
You'll also learn how to cope with stress and other positive ways to manage feelings of anxiety and depression.
The recovery program includes working through 12 steps of recovery under the mentorship of a sponsor. You'll learn how to put these tools in place and work towards living a life of sobriety while having the support systems you need. Prayer and meditation groups are also a significant part of your week.
You'll even have the chance to help other people who are also in recovery once you reach the program's second phase.
Now that you know more about achieving long-term recovery, you can begin taking steps toward making the changes you need in your life.
Remember, you aren't alone, and there's no shame in reaching out for more help if you find yourself struggling. To get all the help you need with long-term recovery, you won't need to look any further than Progress House.
We offer sober living and residential treatment programs for people struggling with addiction. Our treatment centers provide you with 24/7 medical care and medication-assisted treatment to help with withdrawal symptoms.
We've been helping people in Indiana since 1961 and look forward to assisting you with your recovery. Make sure to fill out our online application today to take the first steps.
