Having the support of other people can make all the difference when it comes to staying sober. When you surround yourself with people who genuinely care about your goals and well-being, you receive the encouragement you need to push forward. Difficulties and challenges will undoubtedly arise as you work to recover from addiction. Peer support and encouragement from loved ones will be essential to your success.

If you find yourself struggling to stay motivated or remain on track, get moving! Taking care of yourself physically can help you become emotionally healthy and improve your mental health. Also, exercising more may help take your mind off any negative thoughts or behaviors that may be trying to creep back into your life.

Even if you’re not interested in going to the gym, there are many ways you can exercise and take care of yourself. Go for walks or runs with a friend—practice yoga at home. Get into hiking or rock climbing. Do whatever you feel can best help you stay moving and healthy.

Addressing your past may be one of the most important tips for staying sober. During treatment and therapy, you probably learned more about your past and how it affected others in your life. Your past may also be filled with mistakes that may still be negatively impacting your life now. As you work through recovery, it is best to address these issues from your past.

There are several things you may need to do in order to address your past:

• Make amends – Talk to your family members and friends about the way your struggle with addiction has affected them. They may have been hurt by your past. Make sure they know you are different now. Even if they have a hard time moving forward, making things right with them will give you newfound peace.
• Eliminate regret – It is easy to feel guilt and regret when your past is riddled with a harmful lifestyle. But, regret about your past may only hold you back from your future.
• Avoid obsessing over the past – Addressing your past can mean letting it go. Obsessing over the issues in your past can prove problematic. But, letting go of that obsession can allow you to focus more on your present and future.

Addressing your past can help you to avoid repeating harmful choices. It can also help promote healing as you journey toward recovery.

Find out what your triggers are. Determine what can cause you to start thinking about drug or alcohol use. It is important to understand which circumstances, behaviors, and issues can eventually lead you to relapse. Some of the most common triggers include the following:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Peer pressure
• People who used to drink or use drugs with you.
• Places where you used to use alcohol or drugs.

Be sure to figure out what could trigger you to struggle. This will help you to stay on track as you’re recovering from addiction.

One thing you can do as you work to remain sober is to keep a journal. Journaling can help you to work through your challenges. It can also help you to document your successes! You can write as little or as much as you want. It may be helpful to document your experiences regularly – every day or even just once a week. Holistic therapies, like writing, is just one form of expression that can have a positive impact on your mindset.

It is likely that you had some friends with whom you used alcohol or drugs regularly. But, it is important to avoid spending time with people who may pull you back into a life that you’re trying to leave behind you.

Make new friends who support your journey to recovery. You can meet new people during group therapy. Also, post-treatment support groups can help you develop more healthy relationships with others.

Make sure you take time to enjoy and celebrate the victories in your life. Again, your recovery journey will be full of challenges. Every time you overcome something, even if you don’t think it’s a huge accomplishment, celebrate it! For example, if you turn down a drink at a party, take time to appreciate your commitment to your recovery.

Finding something to do may help you to remain on track. Hobbies such as hiking, drawing, painting, cooking, and more can help you avoid relapse.

Keeping a schedule can help you avoid relapse. Although you certainly don’t want to stay too busy, it may be helpful to establish a routine. Having a schedule can give you a sense of discipline, which is necessary for addiction recovery.

Your schedule doesn’t need to be rigorous or extreme. Perhaps, you can begin by simply choosing to wake up at a certain time every day and go to bed at a specific time nightly. You might also begin introducing specific activities to your mornings, such as prayer, exercise, breakfast, etc. Finding ways to introduce a routine in your everyday life can help you fill your time and avoid opportunities for relapse.

Keeping a schedule can help you avoid relapse. Although you certainly don’t want to stay too busy, it may be helpful to establish a routine. Having a schedule can give you a sense of discipline, which is necessary for addiction recovery.

Your schedule doesn’t need to be rigorous or extreme. Perhaps, you can begin by simply choosing to wake up at a certain time every day and go to bed at a specific time nightly. You might also begin introducing specific activities to your mornings, such as prayer, exercise, breakfast, etc. Finding ways to introduce a routine in your everyday life can help you fill your time and avoid opportunities for relapse.

Therapy for substance abuse doesn’t have to end when treatment is over. You can continue to receive counseling even after you complete your addiction rehab program. Therapy can help you to learn more about yourself and what your needs are. It can help you develop even more coping skills and recovery strategies.