How to Stay on the Right Path After Overcoming Your Addiction

Seeking treatment for an addiction and completing the program is something you deserve to be proud of because it’s quite the accomplishment. Now that you’ve made it through treatment, you’ll need to be prepared for what lies ahead when you return to the real world where temptation will exist at times. You need to remain committed to staying away from both alcohol and drugs all the time to avoid going through a downward spiral.

There are times when you’re likely going to want to use again. According to Sage Recovery Villa you need to remain strong and remind yourself of the many reasons you decided to get sober in the first place. Sometimes you’ll start to think about that specific drug you once used, wondering if it’s worth taking again just to put a stop to the emotions you’re experiencing. There are times when you’re going to get triggered but knowing what to do when dealing with these situations is the best way to avoid the temptation.

Know What Triggers You

If you want to avoid that temptation, you need to know what triggers you and gets you upset. Not all people have the same triggers. However, you may be triggered by seeing someone else on drugs, seeing someone you used to hang out with when you were addicted, or even being near someone who caused you tremendous pain in the past. It’s not always possible to avoid these triggers, so you’ll need to put a plan in motion to distract yourself when dealing with them.

Be Prepared For What Could Happen

Practice the things you’ll say to yourself when you’re feeling tempted. You need to keep thinking about all the progress you’ve made and all the good things that are happening now that you’ve decided to get help for the addiction and went through the treatment process to get clean.

Treat Yourself Well

The best thing you can do for yourself is to do things that are relaxing. Don’t stay up all night knowing you’ll need to get up early in the morning to work or complete other tasks. Get your rest, eat healthy meals throughout the day, and even start doing some daily exercises to stay busy. Keep yourself distracted to avoid experiencing feelings of anger, loneliness, and frustration that could potentially lead to a relapse.

It may help to contact your sponsor when you’re feeling down. The sponsor is there to listen to you and provide support, knowing you’re going through something that is difficult and even a bit challenging. If you ever need to vent, give your sponsor a call and don’t hesitate to talk about all the different things that are bothering you.

Avoid Certain Places

If you used to hang with friends at the bar and that is where your addiction started, you shouldn’t visit the bar to meet with old friends while assuming you’re strong enough to avoid drinking or taking any drugs. It’s simply not worth dealing with the temptation. Once you know your triggers, you know you need to do the best to avoid them so that you can successfully stay on the right path and continue living a healthier, sober life.