Living in a world full of chaos while maintaining your sobriety can be hard after undergoing addiction treatment. So many new feelings and thoughts can arise with a clear head. If you are looking for a way to maintain your sobriety even when life is chaotic, then you are in the right spot.
You may have thoughts and feelings that you're avoiding addressing even after undergoing treatment, but finding the means to push through is essential at this point in your life. You can learn how to maintain your sobriety, by establishing a clear head in this chaotic world.
If you had an addiction, and you enjoy coffee, you probably remember the first sip you had when you left a treatment facility. That first sip was sensational, wasn’t it? This feeling was a byproduct of your healthier sober living path. The scent of the coffee alone was enthralling, and the clear head you now had on your path was also exciting.
You had just gone through a serious treatment process, and your feelings and emotions were up and down. Now that you're through, you've proven that you could overpower your previous thought processes and become someone you can be proud of. That is a huge accomplishment that you shouldn't forget.
Now that you've been in addiction treatment and have left the facility, how are you supposed to maintain your life even when things get chaotic? How can you manage your bad days?
Staying sober is your primary objective. Yes, sobriety may seem scary at first. However, you don't want to go back to the chaotic destructive self you were before. When you removed the toxins from the body in addiction treatment, a miracle happened.
Addiction recovery taught you to make amends with your friends and family who were hurt along the way, as well as with yourself. You have grown as a person, you made a life worth living, and you continued to maintain your sobriety through recovery. There are methods you can put in the place to help yourself maintain a healthy and sober lifestyle, even in chaos.
You need to remember staying sober is not always going to be easy or straightforward. You can learn different strategies for your triggers to manage the situations as they come around. When life seems chaotic, these triggers may not be the easiest to manage.
Choose to identify your triggers and recognize the warning signs of potential relapse. When you do that, you can work to avoid them as much as possible. Making a solid plan of action to defuse the chaos that surrounds that situation is ideal. Some of the triggers you might find are emotional distress, relationship troubles, environmental cues, financial problems, and more. The warning signs of relapse can include having thought processes of returning to the substances, thinking less rationally, or seeking out certain situations where you have a higher risk of relapse.
Some of the ways you can remove the chaos from your life are to get motivated and use tools to build a healthier lifestyle. This can include exercise, daily routine, support groups, and more. Anything that helps you feel more calm and relaxed during potential chaotic moments after treatment will be beneficial.
Next, you can consider finding support through your community of sober friends. When you spend more time with those that love you, and you plan activities around a sober lifestyle, the situations that cause a high risk of relapse are easier to avoid.
Now that you've undergone treatment, the new coping mechanisms and activities put in place can help you avoid that chaos. You deserve to make your recovery as easy as possible, and if you have any co-occurring mental health conditions, finding the support in your life helps.
In addiction recovery, you are given resources and tools to help you cope with chaos. You must remember that it's not about the actual tools you're given, it's about how you use them. Remember to stay calm, and create an action-based plan for when chaotic situations arise to help you avoid returning to substance use.
Not every individual situation is the same in recovery, and you may feel guilty or shameful for past behaviors. If some of the previous situations arise or their past experiences are brought up, remember you're not alone, and it is natural for every individual who undergoes addiction treatment to experience the ups and downs of life's challenges. The balance in your life will allow you to gain better control. However, if you struggle with creating a plan of action in your life or the chaos seems a bit too much, reaching out and getting healthy is not a shameful thing to do.
Remember that your life is in your hands, even if it feels like things are getting out of control or chaos is overwhelming you. Using the right strategies can help you prevent that chaos from taking over. At NorthStar Transitions, there may be situations where you experience a setback. It's not uncommon for you to feel chaos in your life. NorthStar Transitions knows that if you are looking to sustain, maintain, or begin down the path of sobriety, many strategies can help you focus on success. Take time to re-evaluate your life and find balance. If you're struggling, take the time to seek solid support and consider getting additional help. We are here for you. You can maintain your sobriety by managing chaos to have a healthier and happier life and perception. If you need additional advice or more help in maintaining your sobriety, reach out to NorthStar Transitions today. Call at (303) 558-6400.
