How to Stay in Recovery

Understanding Long-Term Recovery

Long-term recovery extends far beyond the initial detox and treatment phases. It’s a lifelong journey that requires ongoing commitment, self-reflection, and personal growth. Recovery isn’t just about abstaining from substances, but about creating a fulfilling life where substance use is no longer a temptation or necessity.

Building a Strong Support Network

One of the most crucial elements in maintaining recovery is having a robust support system. This can include:

• Family and friends: Rebuilding relationships with supportive loved ones
• Support groups: Regularly attending meetings like AA, NA, or SMART Recovery
• Therapy: Continuing individual or group therapy sessions
• Sponsors or mentors: Having someone to turn to who understands the recovery process

Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Replacing substance use with healthy coping strategies is essential. Some effective techniques include:

• Mindfulness and meditation: Practicing awareness and staying present
• Exercise: Engaging in regular physical activity to boost mood and reduce stress
• Creative outlets: Exploring art, music, writing, or other creative pursuits
• Stress management: Learning and applying stress reduction techniques

Maintaining Physical and Mental Health

Taking care of your overall health is crucial for sustained recovery:

• Regular check-ups: Staying on top of physical health issues
• Proper nutrition: Eating a balanced diet to support overall wellbeing
• Sleep hygiene: Establishing healthy sleep patterns
• Mental health care: Addressing co-occurring mental health conditions

Avoiding Triggers and High-Risk Situations

Identifying and managing triggers is an ongoing process in recovery:

• Environmental triggers: Avoiding places or situations associated with past use
• Emotional triggers: Learning to recognize and manage difficult emotions
• Social triggers: Setting boundaries with people who may jeopardize recovery
• HALT: Being aware of when you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired

Continuing Education and Personal Growth

Recovery is an opportunity for ongoing learning and self-improvement:

• Recovery literature: Reading books and materials about addiction and recovery
• Workshops and seminars: Attending events to learn new skills and perspectives
• Setting goals: Continuously working towards personal and professional objectives
• Giving back: Volunteering or helping others in recovery

Relapse Prevention Strategies

While the goal is to maintain sobriety, it’s important to have a plan in case of relapse:

• Recognizing warning signs: Being aware of thoughts or behaviors that may lead to relapse
• Having an emergency plan: Knowing who to call and what steps to take if feeling at risk
• Learning from setbacks: If relapse occurs, treating it as a learning opportunity rather than a failure

Celebrating Milestones and Progress

Acknowledging achievements, both big and small, can boost motivation:

• Recovery anniversaries: Marking significant periods of sobriety
• Personal achievements: Celebrating accomplishments in various areas of life
• Gratitude practice: Regularly noting things to be thankful for in recovery

Embracing a New Lifestyle

Long-term recovery often involves creating a new way of living:

• Finding purpose: Engaging in meaningful work or activities
• Building new relationships: Developing friendships with sober individuals
• Exploring new interests: Trying new hobbies or experiences
• Spiritual or philosophical growth: Developing a sense of meaning or connection

Remember, everyone’s recovery journey is unique. What works for one person may not work for another, so it’s important to be patient and find the strategies that resonate with you personally. With commitment, support, and the right tools, maintaining long-term recovery is achievable and can lead to a rich, fulfilling life.

Addiction Recovery 101

Recovery is a difficult concept to define due to the many different types of addiction and how life after recovery can vary from person to person. Recovery is the process of when someone with an addiction treats their illness and improves their life.

For some, recovery will mean long-term sobriety. For others, recovery may mean abstinence from some substances and moderation with others (i.e., avoiding alcohol abuse in favor of having a drink once in a while.)

Regardless of how you define recovery, taking each day of recovery one at a time is a critical piece of anyone’s aftercare plan.

The Recovery Process

The recovery process happens in three stages: early, middle, and late. Let’s take a look at how these different stages break down:

Early Recovery: The main focus of early recovery is recognizing immediate concerns and starting abstinence. Early recovery teaches skills needed to continue abstaining in order to heal.

Middle Recovery: Middle recovery helps identify all the problems that substance abuse causes and what good things it is keeping you from. It then focuses on how to achieve stability and balance in your life.

Late Recovery: In the late stage, individuals face and resolve underlying or past issues and learn how to manage stress and frustration to prevent future issues or relapse.

Addiction Recovery Statistics

In recent years, substance use disorders and addiction have been on the rise. With the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, many people have turned to substance use to self-treat.

As a result, 29 million Americans report having dealt with problematic drug use at some point. However, of that 29 million, 20.9 million Americans report that they are in recovery.

Additionally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that about 10% of people with substance use disorders recover without treatment, while between 40-60% achieve long-term recovery with treatment and ongoing support.

Research also suggests that participating in support groups (like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery) increases recovery success rates.

Top 9 Strategies for Staying in Recovery

For many people who have just completed a treatment program through an inpatient or outpatient drug rehab or who’ve quit drug or alcohol abuse on their own, you may be asking yourself: How do I keep this healthy lifestyle going every day?

Whether you’ve chosen to pursue a sober life or moderation over substance misuse, these tips can help support your health and well-being for years to come.

Build a Strong Support System

Developing a strong support system can majorly increase your likelihood of recovering successfully. Identifying family members, friends, or other peer support is a good first step in tackling your addiction. The people in your support network can check in on you during tough times to ensure you are handling stress healthily, direct you to helpful resources, and remind you why staying sober is important.

Be sure to nurture these healthy relationships, as they are the first defense against addiction.

Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Triggers and cravings are a normal part of life and can be difficult to overcome without proper resources and support. Many people feel triggered during stressful situations, but solid coping skills can help you avoid falling back into old habits.

A therapist or similar mental health professional can work with you to help you build healthier coping mechanisms that work for you, and using them during these times can help prevent relapse.

Additionally, practicing self-care and learning how to manage stress—especially during early recovery—can improve mental health, further decreasing your chances of turning to substance abuse.

Stay Active and Accountable

Setting realistic recovery goals can help keep you on track. Sometimes, you may set these goals with a counselor or similar healthcare provider during your treatment program.

Working towards these goals can keep you focused on your end goal of sobriety and give you something to celebrate when you achieve them. Share these goals with your support system so they can celebrate with you!

While your support system can help nudge you in the right direction, you are ultimately responsible for preventing relapse. Hold yourself accountable by writing out your goals and tracking your progress.

Avoid High-Risk Situations

Part of holding yourself accountable is avoiding high-risk situations. Become familiar with your triggers and avoid them early on in recovery. These triggers may include people or places that tempt you to fall back into old habits.

For instance, spending time with sober friends can help you strengthen bonds with a different group of peers and establish new habits.

Once you can manage triggers, create a plan for dealing with triggers and cravings. Share this plan with your support people to help hold you accountable and encourage you as you make progress.

Continue Learning and Growing

Recovery isn’t just about sobriety; it is about discovering yourself and all you are capable of when free from drug or alcohol addiction.

Continue learning new things about yourself and dedicate time to personal growth. Pursue things that are important to you, such as education or hobbies.

Increase your knowledge or skills to build mental strength and resilience. Find something you are passionate about, and don’t give up!

Reach Out for Professional Help When Needed

Being able to face triggers and tackle cravings is necessary for recovery, but so is recognizing when to seek help. Having a counselor, therapist, or similar professional to fall back on during hard times can help prevent relapse.

Don’t wait until you are struggling or already considering substance use. Be proactive with mental health concerns and seek help at the first signs of distress.

Stay Connected to Recovery Communities

While having supportive family members or friends is beneficial, building relationships with individuals who have also gone through addiction recovery can majorly assist in your recovery process.

Being able to relate to and encourage each other can remind you that you aren’t alone in your struggle with addiction.

Local 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can help you stay connected through constructive conversation or community events and activities.

Make a Long-Term Recovery Plan

Now that you are in recovery and able to recognize and manage triggers, make a personalized relapse prevention plan. Consult with a counselor or mentor to identify potential obstacles and create strategies for overcoming them.

Like a treatment plan, your recovery plan will have short- and long-term goals to help you stay focused on your recovery and take things one day at a time.

Regularly reviewing and updating your recovery plan can help you stay focused and remain in recovery.

Celebrate Your Achievements

Starting recovery can be overwhelming and intimidating. Establishing well-defined goals early on will allow you to track and celebrate your progress!

Each milestone met is a step closer to your goal and away from alcohol or drug addiction. Use your achievements to motivate your efforts towards continued, long-term recovery.

Facing Challenges in Addiction Recovery

Recovery may be difficult at times, but every day will be different.

Let’s examine some of the most common challenges people experience during recovery and strategies for overcoming them.

Withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms can occur early on in the detox phase, and symptoms can range from mildly uncomfortable to life-threatening.

However, enrolling in a treatment center that offers medical detox—especially for dangerous withdrawals from benzodiazepine and/or alcohol use disorder—can ensure your safety AND provide support to get you through the worst of it.

Sometimes, doctors may also prescribe medication that can lessen withdrawal symptoms, prevent cravings, and help make the withdrawal process go more smoothly.

Managing Triggers and Stress

Sometimes, people fall into drug and alcohol abuse as a poor coping mechanism or a way of avoiding stress and other uncomfortable feelings.

Learning to manage stress in new ways while developing healthier coping skills can be tough, especially early on. However, counselors or therapists can help you tackle the root of mental health issues and address trauma without falling back into substance abuse.

Now is also a great time to pursue new hobbies or passions, as they can provide positive outlets and help you refocus during stressful times.

Loneliness

Establishing a strong support system with family, friends, or others in recovery can help combat loneliness during recovery.

Consider family therapy to help rebuild trust if loved ones have suffered due to your previous drug or alcohol abuse.

Managing Other Health Conditions

Having additional health concerns—either physical or mental health—while navigating recovery can feel daunting.

However, dual diagnosis is not uncommon, and by treating each issue individually, people in recovery can work with their healthcare providers to develop a treatment plan that accommodates any additional limitations or needs.

Relapse

First, acknowledge that relapse CAN happen. None of us want it to happen, but we owe it to ourselves to face this battle honestly. Now that we’ve admitted that relapse can happen, we can focus on the more important actions that can help us avoid it.

Developing a plan for relapse with a mentor or counselor before it happens can help you get back on track quickly if it should come to that.

While relapse isn’t necessarily something you should expect, it also doesn’t mean relapse equals failure. Relapse happens; the key is what you do after it occurs to right the ship, so to speak.

Having a relapse plan that you’ve developed with a sponsor, counselor, or doctor is a great strategy. Think of it as an emergency failsafe. You hope you won’t need it, but it’ll help lessen the long-term damage if you do.