10 Daily Practices for a Successful Addiction Recovery

In early addiction recovery, getting into some type of daily routine can be very beneficial to staying sober long-term.  For many addicts who have just finished treatment at their addiction treatment centre, 'real life' can seem very scary. And too much free, unscheduled time can lead to thoughts about using again. And while it is important not to over schedule yourself, creating unneeded stress in your life, it is good to have daily routines that will assist you on your road to recovery.

Your Daily Rituals for Successful Addiction Recovery

It is true that not every method works for every person, but the following daily activities will most definitely help any recovering addict stay sober — especially when incorporated within the first year of recovery.

                      

1. Make your bed.

This may sound like a silly, overly-simple task that should have nothing to do with recovery. But in fact, making your bed each morning has many benefits for all people, not just those in addiction recovery. Firstly, it gives you a sense of accomplishment, giving you a 'feel-good' boost throughout the day. Being able to stick to a simple task such as making your bed each day, and seeing the positive effect that just a moment of your time can make on the rest of your day, you will be inclined to pick up other habits such as putting your dirty laundry in the hamper instead of on the floor. Plus, it feels so much nicer to climb into a well-made bed at night instead of a messy one.

2. Remind yourself to be grateful.

Each and every day, take a photo of something that made you feel grateful and upload it into an album. Whether it is a beautiful sunset, a photo of your friend that you went to dinner with or a bird you saw chilling in the park. Finding something each and every day to be thankful for will help you find the good in even the worst of days and help you keep a positive outlook on life. Plus, it will be a great way for you to look back on your life in years to come.

3. Go for a walk.

Whether you go for a walk around the neighbourhood, head to the gym or take a dance lesson, incorporating some type of physical activity into each day is important. Physical activity has incredible healing powers for the mind, body and soul and will accelerate your progress in addiction recovery if you let it.

4. Meditate.

Mindfulness meditation has been proven to increase chances of long-term sobriety for those in addiction recovery by giving addicts the tools necessary to take life one moment at a time. When you live life in the moment, you will experience much less stress and anxiety because you rid yourself of worrying and negative thought processes. Just 10-15 minutes of mindfulness meditation can increase your chances of a successful addiction recovery.

5. Talk to someone.

Hang out with people you love. Have dinner with a fellow recovering addict. Whatever you do, reach out and connect to someone who is important to you each and every day. Sharing things such as how your day went and how you are generally feeling will help you keep from bottling feelings inside, causing unwanted stress and anxiety. Plus, if they are having a bad day it feels great to be someone who can help cheer them up too.

6. Make lists.

Every night before bed, write down your schedule for the next day. Make a list of things that need to be done, and then schedule them. The more structure you have to your days, the less likely you are to run into stress by forgetting to do things or running out of time. Stress is one of the most significant relapse triggers, so anything that keeps stress at bay is helpful in addiction recovery.

7. Eat right and hydrate.

Food is fuel for your body. And just as you would only put the highest grade of petrol in your car, you should only put the highest grade of food in you! Eating right and staying hydrated by drinking lots of water will not only relieve stress, but it will make you feel great from the inside out – ready to conquer each and every day!

8. Do something you enjoy.

Reserve at least 20 minutes of each day to do something that relaxes you. Whether it is painting a picture, reading a book, or doing a crossword puzzle, it is important to take time each and every day to just let yourself go. 

9. Make meetings a priority.

Meetings are important. Whether you are feeling down, recovering from a cold or simply do not feel like going to your recovery meeting – just go. Especially in early recovery, it is important to keep up with meetings. Read “Do I Need Recovery Meetings to Stay Sober?” for more information.

10. Remind yourself why you are in addiction recovery.

Last but definitely not least, take a moment each day to remember the reasons that you are in addiction recovery in the first place. Why is getting and staying sober important to you? Write a list and keep it on your mirror or in your wallet and take a look at it each and every day.

Living Sober in Addiction Recovery

It is important to remember that addiction recovery will be most difficult in the beginning. But over time, if you incorporate all of these daily practices, and anything else that you find calming into your daily life, you can achieve success in recovery.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti, psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)

10 WAYS HOW LIFE GETS BETTER WHEN YOU ARE LIVING SOBER

In early addiction recovery you are probably still struggling to imagine what life will be like without your addiction. Living sober is new and awkward, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Whatever benefits you thought you gained from consuming drugs and alcohol will be put to shame as you discover that nothing compares to the benefits gained from living sober. Here are just 10 examples of the many ways sober living will make your life great. 10 Ways Living Sober Improves Your Life

1. Relationships improve.

Once you are sober you will be able to form and maintain healthier relationships. If you are a parent this is a huge area where living sober will positively affect your life and those around you. It may take some time to rebuild healthy relationships with your children, but you will no doubt be a more patient, present, and positive parent.

You will also become a better friend. You will have more time to devote to nurturing meaningful relationships, plus you will probably become more reliable and honest. As you get to know yourself in recovery you will know what kind of things interest you and will find friends who enjoy the same. Sober friendships are likely to be the most nurturing and fulfilling relationships you have ever had.

2. Your memory improves.

No more forgetting and missing out on important events, like your kids' birthdays. No more waking up full of shame and regret as you wonder what happened the night before. When you are living sober you get to remember everything. You are more aware of the finer details in life — like a stranger's smile, or a newly blossomed flower. Plus, becoming sober will give you the mental clarity to discover your personal passions and accomplish your goals.

3. You look better.

Once you stop poisoning your body with toxins, your complexion will inevitably look better. Blemishes clear, wrinkles lose some of their definition, and dark circles are minimized. Some people find that once they start living sober they look 10 years younger. But it is not a superficial benefit. When we look better, we inevitably feel better about ourselves. All the other benefits of a sober life will also have you smiling more — which definitely keeps you looking great.

4. You can maintain a healthy weight.

Many in recovery report initial weight regulation as a benefit to living sober. When you stop consuming empty alcohol calories, and participating in drunken binge-eating episodes, you naturally lose weight. If you were underweight due to a substance abuse disorder your weight is also likely to return to a healthier level once sober. This will help you feel better physically and reduce your risk for weight-related health complications.

5. You have more money.

Living sober will leave you with extra money that you otherwise spent on fuelling your alcohol or drug addiction. It is an automatic savings plan. With more money you can pay off debts, save for larger purchases, and invest in new hobbies. Instead of emptying your bank account regularly and having nothing to show for it you can now spend your money gaining meaningful experiences with people who truly love and care for you. 

6. You have more time.

You probably did not realise exactly how much time you spent thinking about and consuming drugs and alcohol until you stopped. At first having all this extra time can be overwhelming and leave you not knowing what to do. However, it does not take long to realise there is a world of things to do once you are sober. You can use your time to do things like walking your dogs, visiting family and friends, learning something new, and getting more sleep — all of which turn out to be much more rewarding than getting drunk or high.

7. You have more energy.

Constantly feeling tired from sub-par sleep quality is a thing of the past. While at first sleep might be difficult as your body adjusts, once you are sober you will find that your sleep is of a higher quality and you get more of it. Plus, your body will not have to work so hard repairing the damage of drug and alcohol abuse, which frees up its available energy resources. Who does not wish they had more energy in a day? Sobriety will give it to you.

8. You have more fun.

Yes, you will have more fun living sober than intoxicated (even if it does not seem that way at first). With more time, money, and energy the possibilities for fun are endless and never involve a hangover. Your definition of fun will probably change for the better and eventually you will think to yourself “how did I ever think life like that was fun?” Once sober, you are able to play more, you will have a youthful radiance when your laughter is genuine, and you can enjoy the experience of daily life.

9. You gain respect.

When you are sober, you gain respect from others as they acknowledge your commitment to change. You leave a positive impression on people around you through volunteering and helping others. People look up to you and admire your sobriety. When you are sober you are able to follow through with commitments and people will begin to trust you again. Becoming sober is a great display of self-respect as you commit to discontinue the abuse of your body and mind — and when you respect yourself, people are more likely to respect you as well.    

10. You feel good about yourself.

Feeling good about yourself is one of the best gifts sobriety will give you. First of all you can free yourself from the shame and guilt tied to your addictive behaviour. Each day you can be proud of yourself for making it another day in recovery. While increasing your self-esteem will still take some work and does not just magically happen once you enter recovery, living sober will contribute to healthy self-esteem in the long term.

Not convinced yet that life is better when you have got more energy, more time and a clear mind? Or when you get out of bed each day feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead? Then go ahead and watch some of our alumni update stories to see how these real people's lives improved after leaving drug and alcohol rehab.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti , psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)