Living Sober
For a recovering drug addict, staying and living sober is a long-term process.
It involves a combination body, mind, and spirit. It’s important to repair
as much of the damage done by old habits as possible. It is also important
to build new and healthier habits. The time formerly taken by drinking and
drug use should be used for constructive purposes. If you or someone you know
is recovering from a drug addiction, here are some suggestions that can help
with their decision of living sober.
Living Sober: Taking Care of Yourself
First of all, do the best for your body. It probably suffered some setbacks
during your drug-taking days. Get plenty of rest, eat a nutritious diet,
and exercise regularly. Rest, food, and exercise all affect our moods, as
well as our physical well-being. The best diet is one that is high in fresh
vegetables and whole grains and low in fats, sugar, additives, red meat,
and caffeine. Exercise can be of any type that appeals to the person who’s
doing it. It’s safest to increase the amount of exercise gradually
from a gentle beginning, rather than starting out with a strenuous regime.
Living Sober: Learning and Doing
Chances are the old way of life before your choice of living sober had many
destructive aspects. The more you understand how old habits of thought and
action contributed to dependency, the better chance you’ve got to change
those habits. Perhaps you were always setting yourself up to fail by making
your goals unreasonably high. Or, maybe you didn’t know how to have
fun or relax except by getting intoxicated. Maybe you had trouble being honest.
Or, your ways of communicating with others were ineffective.
The best way to start the process of change is by trying something new. Learning
and doing are great ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Set yourself
a goal you know is obtainable, or sign up for a class in something you’ve
always wanted to learn. You can also practice telling yourself the truth about
how you feel, or try meditation as a non-chemical way of managing stress. Think
about the person you’d like to be and the life you’d like to lead.
Take one small step today.
Living Sober: Your Highest Priority
Above all, make staying and living sober your highest priority. Think of the
situations that result in your drinking or taking other drugs. Avoid those
situations, as well as any “old friends” who do not support you
in sobriety. Cultivate a spiritual life in whatever faith you choose. When
faced with a decision, ask yourself which option will be most helpful in
staying sober. In general, put your time and your strength into activities
and relationships that help you stay sober and enjoy it. You, and everyone
around you, will benefit in the form of happier and healthier lives for all!
