The road to recovery is neither short nor simple. Dealing with substance use issues requires continuous work and ongoing effort. In fact, it can be easy to replace one addiction with another. To help maintain your sobriety, consider these three coping strategies.
Stay Healthy
Getting healthy is a huge part of recovery. Overcoming the effects of harmful substances can be very taxing on the body and it’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits as a substitute for previous addictions. For example, many people in recovery turn to caffeine or cigarettes as an alternative to their addictive substance of choice. While quitting addictive substances can be challenging, incorporating healthy activities such as exercise can make recovery smoother and act as an important form of stress release.
Find Natural Alternatives
There are natural chemicals that our body creates that make us feel good, such as dopamine, which we can trigger through activities like exercise, fun outings with new sober friends, recovery retreats, picnics and conferences. It can be tough after dealing with a substance use disorder to experience this “natural high” once more. Luckily, exercising, eating healthy, volunteering, and working as a sponsor for another person in recovery can give you a sense of satisfaction and joy that often triggers that “natural high.”
Remember The Long Road
Most importantly, remember your own recovery plan. A lasting recovery is a long road and it’s important to keep looking forward and consistently incorporating positive and healthy practices into your daily routine. Recovery doesn’t end when you leave treatment, rather it is a series of lasting behaviors that will help you throughout your life. Sponsorship, working steps, meetings, service work, a spiritual connection, and abstinence are all key factors in maintaining a good recovery. A quality recovery is contingent upon the amount of work you put into it.
Turning Point of Tampa’s goal is to always provide a safe environment and a solid foundation in 12-Step recovery, in tandem with quality individual therapy and groups. We have been offering Licensed Residential Treatment for Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders and Dual Diagnosis in Tampa since 1987.
