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It’s much easier to avoid drinking if you don’t keep temptations around. Do you want to stop drinking altogether or just cut back? If your goal is to reduce your drinking, decide which days you will drink alcohol and how many drinks you will allow yourself per day. Try to commit to at least two days each week when you won’t drink at all. I will stop drinking on weekdays, starting as of __________.
We can suggest meetings near you that could be a good fit, including AA, NA, or other alternatives. No matter whether you’ve been sober for six weeks or six years, crazy thoughts are going to pop into your head occasionally. Don’t panic if sudden cravings triggered by trauma or other events threaten to overwhelm your resolve. We are licensed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Health & Department Services to provide SA IOP and OP levels of care. Experiencing feelings of fear, worry and anger are understandable and normal for someone on the sidelines trying to support a loved one. As with any other chronic illness, the more informed you are the better you will be able to support them. You can help them, and yourself, by seeking more education.
ADDICTION & RECOVERY
Remind yourself of the adverse long-term effects of heavy drinking and how it won’t really make you feel better, even in the short term. Lean on close friends and family – Having the support of friends and family members is an invaluable asset in recovery. If you’re reluctant to turn to your loved ones because you’ve let them down before, consider going to couples counseling or family therapy. Treatment should address more than just your alcohol abuse. Addiction affects your whole life, including your relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being.
- Obviouosly, you don’t want to put yourself in financial danger, but if your job was a factor in your drinking, then you need to put your needs first.
- Recovery can become much easier when you live an organized lifestyle.
- Sobriety means not being under the influence of a substance.
- You’ll learn how to deal with your triggers in a more positive manner.
- Addiction often creates problems at work up to and including job loss.
You will want to ensure your days are filled with purpose, meaning, and things to do. At the same time, you will want to balance time for self-care. For this reason, it can be helpful to have a structured routine. Plan out your days including what time you will wake up, go to school or work, exercise, and eat your meals.
Spend Time With Real Friends & Family
Acknowledge it and celebrate your strength and perseverance. You can find help through financial and career coaches or lawyers who often offer their services for free through rehabilitation programs.
Intensive Outpatient Program , you can join our alumni programs. Our alumni regularly get together to catch up with one another’s progress. Our alumni program also provide these individuals with access to therapy and counseling services. Those who hope to achieve long-term recovery should consider alcohol recovery tips following the 5 tips listed below. You aren’t to blame for your loved one’s drinking problem and you can’t make them change. The person with the drinking problem needs to take responsibility for their actions. Don’t lie or cover things up to protect someone from the consequences of their drinking.
Handling setbacks in your recovery
Imagine your sober streak disappearing and finishing the bottle that night. Imagine how your friend and family will feel and how it will effect your day the next day. Walk through your day-in-the-life scenario and imagine what it looks like to have lost your sobriety and goals. Imagine the conversations you’ll have with friends on why you did it. One of the biggest perks about sobriety is being able to think ahead, long-term. This is in stark contrast to alcohol and addiction in general which foster short-term rewards. So, use your sober brain to think about the long-term consequences to your short-term reward and recognize what it would do to your life.
With that said, you can always attend more meetings if you find them to be helpful. Some recovering addicts may even attend one meeting a day when they have just completed an addiction treatment program. If you choose to go to a meeting once a week, try to go to the same meeting. This will give you more opportunities to bond with other members. While getting sober is an important first step, it is only the beginning of your recovery from alcohol addiction or heavy drinking. You probably started going to meetings in treatment if you went to drug and alcohol rehab.