These are some of the ways you can help to make your recovery easier. For some people, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can help with staying sober. Certain medications may help you eliminate cravings and even reduce your desire for alcohol. If this sounds like something you’d like to try, it may be worth asking your doctor about medications like naltrexone, and approaches like the Sinclair Method (TSM).

What Is Sobriety?

You may again seek out the people and situations that support your alcohol use. Some people who move from a controlled and protective setting find themselves awash in the environmental cues that lead to their drinking. I’ve experienced several remarkable benefits of prayer journaling in recovery. In addition, it’s created an intimate closeness with God. Prayer journaling is a healing practice and a spiritual release. During the initial stages of recovery, I recommend staying off of social media.

Derry Rehab Center for Drugs and Alcohol

While it’s important to have structure, be sure to allow for some flexibility as well. Work with your support system to develop a realistic routine that sets you up for success. This is something you can do online, face-to-face with a friend, or, if all else fails, a mirror. Having a conversation triggers parts of your brain you don’t access when you’re thinking about something on your own. While having a conversation with other people is ideal as they offer new insights and lines of thinking, talking your obstacles out loud to yourself doesn’t hurt either. When you feel the pull of alcohol, stop and check in with what that feels like.

What Does Staying Sober Mean?

This section focuses on forming new habits and building self-control, which are essential aspects of addiction recovery. The 10 relapse prevention tips covered here provide a roadmap for navigating triggers, cravings, and the inevitable challenges of recovery. A big part of getting sober is plugging you into a new environment, detached from your usual acquaintances, and receiving constant guidance from trained professionals. So once you’re reinserted into your daily life with the same routine as before — minus the alcohol — it’s undersandable why someone would struggle adjusting to staying sober. So whether you’re a skeptic, a believer, a data-driven engineer or artistic painter, a tips to stay sober few of these tips should apply.

• Some powerful tools include establishing a routine, turning to supportive loved ones, and managing triggers.
• Don’t fear the struggles, let them out in a healthy way.
• This section explores how resolving to be sober leads to a decrease in mental health risks and promotes emotional stability and growth.
• If you want to know how to stay sober there is no better person to ask than someone who has done it before.
• Reputable, research-based treatment programs select therapies and interventions to match your personal needs.

But first, let’s clarify what sobriety actually means. As explained in a study from the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, even something https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/does-alcohol-dehydrate-you/ as simple as a motivational texting program can better your chances of avoiding relapse. For most, detox is not enough to maintain sobriety.

Can I Quit Alcohol Cold Turkey?

• Discover which drugs kill brain cells, their long-term effects, and steps to protect your mental health.
• When combined with counseling, this approach is proven highly effective.
• To others, it means being in control, but not completely abstaining, such as social drinking and cutting back to an occasional glass of wine.
• Everyday, write down 5 things you’re grateful for that day.

As Samaritan Inns highlights, sobriety can not only repair these relationships but also foster new bonds based on mutual respect and understanding. This process often involves open communication and a willingness to address past hurts. It’s not for everyone, but if religion gives you peace of mind, then don’t let it slip from you life.

• Many people drink with the same group of “friends”.
• There are a few different methods of expressing what you’re grateful for in your life.
• However, relationships within the family may have been impacted by substance misuse and therefore, require mending.

• Prioritizing self-care within the daily routine is equally important.
• Just keep in mind that your improvements won’t happen overnight.
• One of the most common examples of this dynamic is when a former smoker reaches for a cigarette while drinking a beer, even though they stopped smoking years ago.
• Holding on to your shame and guilt will lead you down a path of depression that is almost certainly going to lead you to a relapse.
• Explore the answer to ‘can drugs cause an enlarged heart?

What type of treatment you need depends on several factors, including the severity of your addiction. For instance, if your substance use disorder is diagnosed as mild, an outpatient program might be recommended. Outpatient programs vary widely but typically provide a designated number of hours of treatment per week at a treatment center or facility. For more severe addiction issues, healthcare professionals may suggest inpatient care, which requires you to live onsite at the hospital or facility for the duration of treatment.