When you complete addiction treatment, you’ll know that there is an opportunity to restart your life. If you haven’t found professional help yet, now is the time. Addiction can be an issue that can cut your life short if nothing is done.
As you seek treatment, it’s important to plan for the future. Gallus Detox provides you with this guide on the ten steps you can take to succeed. Life after addiction is possible.
You can make sure that it happens. Let’s take a look at the list of steps down below.
Acknowledge the problem
It’s important to acknowledge that a problem exists. This is one of the most challenging tasks anyone dealing with addiction will wrestle with. Some may deny the fact that they may have a problem.
The sooner you acknowledge the problem, the better. From there, you can be able to get an assessment done. This will ensure that you have a treatment plan in place to overcome your addiction.
Once you acknowledge that you have a problem, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Seek professional help
Professional help for your addiction is the next step to take. Because it is a complex disease, you will need professionals such as medical personnel and therapists to get you from point A to point B.
A treatment plan will need to be put together in accordance with an assessment and evaluation done by the proper professionals. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment solution. The plan will differ from one person to the other.
Every person has different needs and types of addiction. Your treatment plan is yours and yours alone. Finding one that will work best for you is the goal at this stage.
Build your support system
Your support system will be one of the major pillars of beating addiction. This will consist of your family, your friends, and others who are also fighting their own addictions as well. Your support system will be there for you on your good days and bad days.
When you complete your treatment, your support system stays strong. You may need them in times of need. You will also reach out to someone who may be in need as well.
Never underestimate the power of your support system. They will empower you to push you through to the finish line and beyond.
Build healthy habits
Healthy habits are important for anyone’s life. When you are being treated for addiction, it’s the best time to plan for a healthier lifestyle. Healthy habits include getting a good night’s rest (7 to 8 hours per night).
Regular exercise and a healthy diet should also be part of your routine. Healthy habits will help you cope with any stress or triggers that may lead to relapse. Another habit to consider is practising regular mindfulness.
Mindfulness will help you control stress, which is known to cause relapse. Exercise can ward off stress and other negative feelings. It can even reduce cravings that may linger.
Find a new hobby
Hobbies are great for keeping your mind off of negative things. You will do something that you enjoy doing such as cooking, arts and crafts, or something creative. Whatever it may be, it should be something that you love doing.
It can be something you’d never say ‘no’ to. Life after addiction can be fulfilling and this is one of the reasons why. This can be a hobby you can do with yourself or with the important people in your life.
Set goals that are realistic and achievable
Setting goals and achieving them will be possible. As long as they are realistic and you focus on them regularly, you’ll have the confidence of accomplishing anything. Be sure to have an action plan with these goals.
It also helps to get into specifics. Instead of just saying you want to save money: say that you want to save $100 a month. You can also keep track of the numbers as you are inching close to your goals.
Manage your stress wisely
Stress is unavoidable. Yet, it can be manageable. The best way to do this is to practice regular mindfulness. A few minutes in a quiet place while doing breathing exercises daily is sufficient.
On top of that, you can consider other management techniques like yoga and meditation. These will be great for dealing with stress on a regular basis. Don’t forget – physical exercises can bring stress levels down.
Stress is considered one of the factors for someone to relapse. Self-medicating with drugs is not the best course of action. Instead, coping mechanisms such as what we’ve mentioned above can be excellent alternatives to consider.
Take responsibility for your own actions
Addiction is something that leads us to actions that we may never be proud of. It’s important that assuming responsibility for these actions is a big step. To go further, you will need to rebuild the relationships that you may have harmed during your addiction struggle.
Moving forward with stronger and rebuilt relationships will make life better. It may be a challenge at first. But you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that people have forgiven you for your mistakes.
Celebrate Your Progress
When you celebrate your progress and wins, you’ll feel proud of yourself. Recovery is a long journey. Making progress is more of a win than anything else.
Whether it’s a small or large success, celebrate. Think back to where you started and how far you’ve come along.
Don’t give up
While relapses can still be possible, living an addiction-free life is still possible. Make sure that you continue your healthy habits every day.
Know that if you relapse, don’t consider it a failure. Don’t consider your treatment a waste. Most importantly, don’t give up on yourself.
Have a plan that you need to follow in case of a relapse. Contact someone who you can trust to help you out in any way possible.
