While going through a rehabilitation program, you live in a fully supportive environment. At treatment centers like 7 Summit Pathways, our goal is to create physical barriers that separate you from the triggers which led to your Substance Use Disorder. Removing these temptations makes it easier to remain sober. However, once you’re ready to move on from rehab, an all-important question arises — how can you stay sober?
Ideally, after undergoing treatment, you’ve learned the tools you need to heal and cope with triggers that arise during your everyday life. Life after rehab is exciting. However, living a sober lifestyle brings with it challenges that you’ll have to navigate to avoid relapse. In this post, we’ll discuss some tips that will hopefully help you remain on the road to Recovery and stay sober once your time in rehab is over.
Have a Post-Treatment Plan in Place
As you prepare to leave rehab, the staff and counselors at your treatment center will help you develop a plan to stay sober. During your time undergoing rehabilitation, you’ve probably learned that seeking help is an essential aspect of Recovery. That’s why your plan should include some sort of continuing care, such as:
- Individual or group therapy
- Check-ins with your counselor
- Support groups
- A halfway house
- Or some other form of Aftercare services
Recognize and Manage Relapse Triggers
One of the most critical parts of rehab is recognizing the underlying issues that may have led to your Substance Use Disorder in the first place. These possibilities include people and situations you’ll need to avoid once you return to your everyday life. These triggers can lead you to crave drugs or alcohol, which may cause a relapse. You’ll need to have healthy coping mechanisms in place so that you can deal with problems and stress without turning back to addiction.
Create a Support Network
Many of your friends and family members may ask you how they can help once your rehabilitation program is complete. Instead of declining their offers, make a list of those people you can rely on to support you and encourage you to remain sober post-rehab.
It’s also important to build relationships with people who understand the nature of addiction. That’s why support and self-help groups are incredibly useful after Recovery. Your network of people will create positive energy around you and give you individuals you can turn to when temptations to use arise.
Along with your healthy support network, you should also recognize unhealthy influences in your life. If being around certain people makes you want to start using again, avoid them.
Maintain a Healthy and Active Lifestyle
Once you’re ready to create a fresh routine in the real world, try replacing your old habits of addiction with new, healthy activities. You’ll not only distract yourself from certain triggers this way, but you’ll also create lifestyle changes that aid your overall health and well-being. A huge variety of options can offer a distraction from cravings and reduce stress, including:
- Exercise and sports
- Healthy eating
- Reading
- Arts and crafts
- Online learning
- Gardening
- Learning a new language
- Volunteering
Choose a Treatment Center With Aftercare Services
If you haven’t yet chosen your rehabilitation treatment center, be sure to find one with Aftercare Services. Once your program is complete and you go back to your normal life, you’ll want all the support and guidance you can get.
At 7 Summit Pathways, Aftercare is an essential component of our treatment services. We won’t leave you to fend for yourself after rehab. Instead, we firmly believe that by offering support through our Addiction Aftercare Program, we can help patients live healthy, sober lives. To find out more about 7 Summit Pathways based in the Tampa area, contact us today.