Getting sober and staying sober are different things.
The road doesn’t end once rehab does.
Maintaining sobriety takes nurturing and it’s very much an investment in yourself that pays greater dividends the longer it lasts.
Sustained sobriety takes planning, care and attention to both your inner world and the external triggers that will doubt land in your path at some point.
The great news is that by the time you’re considering how to stay sober, you’ve already cleared a massive hurdle – you’re not using anymore.
On top of that, there are plenty of resources available to you to help you stay the course and avoid a relapse.
How to Go About Maintaining Sobriety
It can seem overwhelming that you have to work at maintaining sobriety. It can even feel frustrating but think of it this way, you also had to work at maintaining an addiction. Time, money and effort expended to track down your drug of choice and then recover from it. Drugs or alcohol dictated your decisions and had control of your actions, which takes a lot out of a person.
Sure, maintaining sobriety takes effort but the rewards you reap with that endeavor serve to enhance your quality of life rather than break it down, making the energy spent well worth it.
So, what exactly can you do to stay sober? What resources are available?
Outpatient Rehab
For starters, you have outpatient treatment. Whereas for inpatient rehab you’d be living at a facility and be focused 24/7 on recovery, outpatient rehab functions as something of a transition. You’ll still have dedicated care from professional addiction experts but with the freedom to reintegrate into your day-to-day life.
For those working through a more severe addiction and who need a bit more guidance, there’s also intensive outpatient rehab which requires more time and attention.
Both function as something of a bridge from inpatient care and which is best for you depends fully on your needs. Of course, your rehab center will help you navigate this and assist you in making the decision that’s in your best interest.
12 Step Support Groups
If you’re on our website there’s likely a 100% chance you’ve heard of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and perhaps even SMART Recovery (a non-12 step program actually).
Why?
Because support groups work.
Now that’s not to say they’re a replacement for treatment or anything to that effect but creating a network of sober-minded people very much goes a long way in helping you maintain sobriety.
Having a group of people who truly understand what addiction is like and who’ve gone through recovery themselves can be an immeasurable help, especially in times when you’re on the verge of a relapse.
Moreover, support groups offer the benefit of accountability. You’ll celebrate your sobriety wins and you’ll feel accountable not just to the group, but to yourself. Additionally, you may go from mentee to mentor the longer you spend in a support group and that added accountability of someone looking up to you is often a tremendously powerful motivator for people.
Individual/Group Therapy
Naturally, you can also consider continued therapy after your inpatient and/or outpatient rehab. The sessions may not be as intensive or scheduled in the same way as outpatient care but the benefits of talking to a therapist are still immense.
All in all, the idea here is that there are easily accessible options available to help you in maintaining your sobriety.
Some, like support groups, are as easy to access as a Google search for meetings in your area.
To learn more about how you can go about staying on the straight and narrow, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Multi Concept Recovery.
