Recovery is not a one-time thing where we go to treatment and then are magically cured. It is a process that we undertake and commit to for the rest of our lives. When we decide to get clean, we are making the important decision that we want to be well, we want to be happy, we want to live healthier lives and show up for the people we care about. Many of us get to that point after years of suffering, of hurting ourselves and our loved ones. How do we maintain our sobriety once we’ve left treatment? In short, we keep doing the work. This means we find the things that help us, and we keep doing them even when it’s difficult. The recovery process requires that we be consistent with our work and diligent in our effort. When we slip up, we increase our chances of relapse. If we do relapse, we pick ourselves back up and recommit to doing the work. The recovery process and what it entails will be unique to each of us, but there are some common things that help many of us. Attending support group meetings and having a sponsor are two very helpful things that help us to stay on track. They give us other people to be accountable to, which can help us tremendously, especially when we don’t feel that we ourselves are reason enough to stay sober. Working with a therapist on a regular basis helps us to resolve some of the deep-rooted issues that were fueling our addictions. Therapy can help us to process the trauma, fears and wounds that drove us to our patterns of emotional escapism. We can help ourselves maintain our sobriety by committing to a spiritual practice. Strengthening our connection between mind, body and spirit can help us to heal on a deeper level. Our addictions and mental health issues often have emotional and spiritual causes and manifestations that go beyond our thinking minds. Spiritual healing outlets can help us greatly in our healing and can include prayer, meditation, music, yoga, chakra healing and reiki. One thing that many people find helps them stay sober is being of service to others. When we are helping other people, we are reminded that we aren’t the only ones living with difficult challenges. Struggle and pain are universal in human nature. Service allows us to take our focus off of our own problems for awhile and help others, many of whom may be struggling even more than we are. Service gives us a sense of purpose and fulfillment and increases our feelings of self-worth and happiness, all of which can help us stay committed to our sobriety.
Call 1-888-986-7848 for information on our treatment programs and aftercare relapse prevention support.
