Five Crucial Early Sobriety Tips for Recovering Addicts

Recovery? Easier said than done. Here are tips for recovering addicts to help you navigate early sobriety.

Achieving and then sustaining sobriety are easier said than done. However, it can’t mean it’s impossible. Everyone who starts an addiction treatment program have these as the ultimate goal.

Once a person decides to get into a rehab program such as those offered by Bridges of Hope, there’s already that expectation for change. And of course, this is change for the better. Still, the intricacies and nuances of these change may seem lost for many. They may still be unsure of what to expect and how to face the challenges of early sobriety. And so, we have prepared below five of the most crucial tips for recovering addicts. These tips can help anyone navigating the unpredictable terrains of recovery and strengthen their commitment to this big change.

The tips for recovering addicts below serve as their survival guide in early recovery, which covers the time after they get out of a rehab program.

Committing to Recovery

Recovery doesn’t just mean not taking any drugs or alcoholic drinks. True sobriety is not just the absence of the substance such as drugs or alcohol. It also entails clearer thinking, an up-leveled value system, more freedom, and a better sense of well-being and fulfillment in life.

Tips for Recovering Addicts

The early days and even months of recovery are crucial. This phase will be full of ups and downs.

If you’ve read this far and you’re new in recovery, the following tips are helpful to keep in mind as you take on this new journey.

1. Remember your “why”. There will be situations during early recovery which will challenge the resolve of recovering addicts. You yourself may wonder why you did it in the first place. Why did you get sober? Times like this, it’s important to keep in touch to why you decided to get sober in the first place. The further you progress in your recovery, you may find yourself losing sight of the reasons you quit your addiction. What you can do during your early days in sobriety is to make a list of all your reasons and motivations behind your decision to pursue treatment. Let this list be your reminder during times you feel weak, conflicted, frustrated, tempted, or discouraged.
2. Build better. Now that you’re in recovery, it’s your mission to build better habits than the ones you’ve finally overcome and left behind. This time, be wary of many triggers that can make sobriety harder for you. One of these is boredom. Find a worthwhile way to spend your downtime. Building new and better hobbies can allow you to stay engaged physically, socially, and mentally. This will also help you learn new tools or supplement the life skills that you have already learned while in a rehab program. This will also help reduce the intensity of your cravings, allowing you to live your days with purpose and motivation.
3. Stay humble. It’s common for people in recovery to have this renewed sense of hope and pride. After all, it’s not easy to go through what you’ve gone through and what you’ve overcome. You will overcome more as you go along. What’s important is to remain grounded and humble. This way, you will know that your recovery is delicate and you still need to seek the help and support of your peers and counselors. This is especially true during periods when you feel like you’re faltering.
4. Be prepared to make sacrifices. Being in recovery is like living a renewed life. You are, after all, like a new person. And throughout this journey of becoming, there are people, places, and things that you have to turn your back on. As you navigate sobriety out of rehab, there will be people that you have to sever your ties with. You will also learn that there are people who are unhealthy for your recovery.
5. Learn to forgive yourself. Part of your recovery journey involves mending broken or damaged relationships. During your active addiction, you may have done and said things to people who care about you. These are things you now don’t think you would have done in your sobriety. You may also be still consumed by guild from many things you’ve done in the past. This will hold you back. Apart from asking for forgiveness from others, you have to also ask for forgiveness from yourself. This is a critical process as you go through the early parts of your recovery.

Prepare for Life-Long Recovery with Bridges of Hope

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, as well as other kinds of addictions such as gambling or gaming addiction, talk to us at Bridges of Hope.