You may not think about sobriety in this way at first, but essentially it means creating an entirely new life. It means creating an entirely new you. In order to get sober, many of the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors are going to have to change. You’re going to have to become a new person.
Doing this isn’t going to be easy. But even though it’s going to be hard, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Millions of men and women have done it and you can too. In fact there are also many celebrities who have made the great change from addiction to sobriety.
Unfortunately for them, their journeys are frequently laid out by the media, beginning in their addiction and ending in a whole new life. Fortunately for you, those stories can be a source of inspiration and encouragement.
But you’re going to need more than encouragement to make the kind of change you want. You might consider the following suggestions as a means to facilitate life change:
Create a plan for where you’re going
When you know where you are going, then you know what choices to make to get you there. Also, one of the most essential ingredients to recovery is staying hopeful. This might include believing in your ability to stay sober. This might also mean having a vision for your life in the future that includes health, well being, and sobriety.
Having hope can prevent feeling depressed, lost, beaten down, and confused. Knowing where you’re going and how can create a sense of meaning and hope in your life. And this can facilitate your recovery.
Gather support around you
Setting up your support network is something you might want to discuss in your drug addiction therapy with a drug counselor. If you’re not in addiction treatment, then perhaps you can have this conversation with a therapist or psychologist. The two of you can discuss the benefits of having such a network and who to include.
In addition to addiction experts, you may want other recovering addicts who are a step or two ahead of you, those who have been through the difficulties you might be experiencing now. You may want to include others who can offer various forms of support such as compassion, a listening ear, understanding, love, and acceptance.
Take good care of yourself
If you were addicted to drugs or alcohol you’re your body is likely suffering from the damage. Alcohol can significantly damage the liver as well as other major organs. It can deplete the body of its necessities for health.
Drinking on a regular basis can bring significant health concerns. Similarly, other drugs, such as methamphetamines, cocaine, and benzodiazepines can also have a severe effect on the health of the body and the brain.
If you’re committed to creating a new life, you can start by making sure your body is well taken care of. For instance, discover which foods your body needs to recover. Sleep well each night with at least 8 hours per night.
Lastly, exercise on a regular basis. These three behaviors – eating well, sleeping well, and exercising – can facilitate having a clear mind which in turn can help with making the right choices for yourself.
Keep track of your thoughts and feelings
One of the contributing factors to a developing addiction is the quality of your thoughts and feelings. Often, there are beliefs that stem from childhood or challenging experiences in life that can linger throughout adulthood.
These can be negative beliefs which can create negative thinking patterns and in turn create challenging feelings. With a therapist, psychologist, or drug counselor you can examine your beliefs and change them.
You can monitor your thoughts and replace them with new ones. It might be easy to think that you can do this on your own, but often, our thinking patterns are unconscious to us. It’s best to work with a trained professional who can facilitate the exploration of and change of negative thinking patterns and beliefs.
Creating a new lifestyle can seem daunting when you’re at the beginning of the journey. However, if you take one step at a time and give yourself great support, then a lifestyle change can easier than you think.
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