Are you addicted to drugs or alcohol?

If you are, you’re not alone. In fact, did you know that 23 million Americans suffer from alcohol and drug addiction?

Wherever you are on your road to recovery, well done for how far you’ve come. The first step is accepting that you have a problem and because you’re here looking at this article today, you’ve taken that first step.

However, if you want to stay clean and sober permanently it’s going to take a lot of hard work on your part. Don’t be disheartened, it can be done step by step.

These 8 tips for staying sober can change your life. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started.

1. Make a Change

In order to develop a drug or drink free lifestyle and stay sober, you will need to make obvious changes. For instance, you should cut yourself off from any of your old buddies who may encourage you to drink or take drugs again. You may even need to move home or out of a certain area if it brings back too many old haunts.

Sometimes it’s not so much where you live, but it’s your old routine, hangouts, and habits. You may need to give your life a complete overhaul and start fresh in order to stay sober permanently.

If you need help in making changes, don’t be embarrassed to ask for it. The Life Transformation Recovery Treatment Center is a nonprofit facility that provides compassionate, private substance abuse treatment for men and women. Get in touch with them for a chat today.

2. “Faith Can Move Mountains”

You may have heard that quote and thought it was a load of nonsense. But scientific research shows that praying and having a faith can actually help your emotional wellbeing.

Science Daily said that those who choose to pray are able to find “personalized comfort during hard times” and can manage a range of “negative situations and emotions”. So it’s true, praying can help you in staying sober.

If you don’t believe in God, make an affirmation or an oath to yourself that you’ll stay sober.

3. Develop Healthy Relationships

Isolation after addiction can be dangerous. Spend time with your family and friends who are supporting you on the road to recovery.

As mentioned in step one, you may need to cut off toxic associations. This might leave you with a smaller circle of friends if any at all. Try to make new friends and develop healthy relationships.

If you’re struggling to make new friends, try joining a support group.

4. Get Physical

When your mind and body are engaged and active, there is less room for bad cravings. Exercise and physical activities can also reduce stress and boredom, which can both play a huge part in relapsing. So get energized by doing something you like, whether it’s playing soccer, swimming, or just taking an early morning run.

Chances are your body isn’t in great physical shape either, especially if you’ve been addicted to drugs or alcohol. Regular exercise will not only improve your mental wellbeing, but it will additionally improve your overall health. So it’s a win-win situation!

5. Do What You Love

Cutting off drugs or alcohol from your life may leave you with what feels like a huge void. Try to remember the things you loved and were passionate about before you became addicted. And start those things up again!

Paint, sculpt, write, sing, dance, or play sports! Whatever it is you’re passionate about, get your creative juices flowing again. It’ll be good for your sobriety as it will distract your mind.

6. A Balancing Act

A common mistake that many make when trying to stay sober is replacing one addiction for another. Many people in recovery often find themselves approaching a new diet, exercise program or other daily activities as a compulsion.

Although these new activities are obviously healthier choices, they keep up that “addiction” feeling and can lead to a relapse.

Find a healthy balance and get control over your life. By making good choices and controlling them you’ll find staying clean and sober is much easier.

7. Structure Your Life

Having a disorganized or chaotic lifestyle may hinder your recovery. Try to develop a structured routine and stick to it. This will not only help you to keep organized in your day to day life, but it can also assist you in achieving bigger future goals.

One of the best ways to structure your life is to get a job. Returning to work can be stressful, so make sure you are getting all the support available as you take this step. As hard as it seems at the beginning, the structured routine may be able to help you to stay sober permanently.

8. Deal With the Past, Look to the Future

Most people who have dealt with addiction leave a trail destruction behind them. This can lead to feelings of shame and guilt. These negative feelings can be emotionally toxic and actually lead to a relapse.

But, no matter how hard you try, you can’t change the past. You must take responsibility for your actions and accept what has taken place.

Dealing with the past may mean that you need to make amends with those you hurt. You may need to fix or pay for any physical damage you caused. And, in most cases, you will need to repair broken relationships.

Once you’ve done your best in making amends, look to the future and make goals. You’ve got a beautifully clean and sober life ahead of you. So make the most of it!

Clean and Sober = HAPPY!

During your darkest days of addiction, you may have wondered if you would ever be happy again. If you follow these 8 tips on getting clean and sober, you’ll get on the path to happiness, and never look back.

Drug addiction can actually creep up on you stealthily. You may not even realize you’re addicted before it’s too late. If you’re wondering whether you are addicted to drugs or not, read this article — it could save your life.