The experience of alcohol addiction treatment is regarded as a transformative one. After all, it has the power to change your life. But, once you have completed your rehab program and are once again out in the real world; this can also be quite overwhelming. It is normal for an addict, who is newly sober, to feel distracted and confused. You are going to experience a range of emotional, physical and psychological side effects of abusing alcohol, but they will dissipate over time. The key is to learn some strategies that can aid you in maintaining alcohol addiction recovery once you are out of rehab.
There are a number of strategies that can be helpful in this situation and some of the top ones are outlined below:
Avoid temptation
First and foremost, you need to avoid the places that can tempt you into breaking your sobriety. We have all heard the phrase ‘old habits die hard’ and you need to break these habits if you are going to maintain your recovery phase. You need to avoid places and situations that can get you close to alcohol. This means not visiting your favorite bar or pub anymore, even for hanging out with your friends. In some cases, you may also have to avoid friends or family members who drink habitually because their company can also tempt you into having a drink. It takes only one and you will be back at it again. No matter how long you have been sober, these places and people will always be dangerous so you need to avoid them.
Keep busy
When you are out once again and you can see alcohol available easily, it can get pretty difficult to resist. The only way to take your mind off it is by keeping busy. It is also normal to feel a sense of boredom when you are no longer hanging out with friends who drink. If you are tempted to drink out of loneliness and boredom, it is better to call your support group. Apart from that, you need to make new friends and develop new and safe hobbies that can keep you occupied. You can return to school if you wish, find new employment or even return to the activities you loved before you got into drinking. Having lots to do can be extremely handy as you will no longer be fixating on your desire to drink.
Use your tools
During your treatment at the rehab center, you will be taught different tips and tricks to cope with temptations in order to prevent a relapse. There are behavioral therapies that can be beneficial for dealing with triggers and peer pressure and you need to use them when necessary. Likewise, there are also technological tools that rehab centers advise you to use such as Soberlink. This is a high-tech breathalyzer, which boasts both GPS and webcam, and enables rehab centers to remotely measure the alcohol consumed. It is a way of ensuring compliance as you will be taken in immediately if a relapse is detected.
Discuss your difficulties
It is a given that you will face difficulties when you are trying to prevent a relapse. Instead of keeping them in, it is best to discuss them with someone. This can be a friend or family member or even someone at your rehab center. It is recommended that you join a support group where you can talk to other recovering alcoholics. They will know what you are going through and will be able to offer you the guidance and encouragement you need to stay strong.