When you come to terms that you need help to recover from the addiction of dealing with alcohol and drugs, checking into a rehab center to get help can be the boldest move one can make. Once you check into a rehab center of your choice and complete the rehabilitation program, it will become a significant accomplishment worth celebrating. However, staying sober after the program will be a lifelong process from then onwards.
Assuming you make it through the treatment program, it is easy to fall back and get back to where you were before. When you go back to your community, you need to re-adjust because returning to the same surroundings, and people may cause you to drink and use drugs again and relapse. Here is some important advice https://www.gallusdetox.com/ that will help you avoid relapse and keep you in check.
Go for Check-Ups
To promote life accountability, go for regular check-ups at a professional health center. This will ensure that you stay on course and avoid relapse. You can go for at least one check-up within a year. The check-up will involve a medical practitioner performing some exams to check on vital signs.
Since you were involved and exposed to harmful substances, you can develop side effects such as wounds, health and breathing problems, weight loss or weight gain, sleeping problems, and muscle twitching. Ensuring that you are healthy is the beginning process of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Find Alternative Support Groups
It is essential to find a support group of some kind and join them. When you join a support group with members who have the same problems as dealing with drugs, it can be encouraging to distract you and support each other to cope with life after rehab. Some groups may follow the 12-step model to help members take control of their addiction.
Build a New Social Life
Undergoing a rehab program will open up many possibilities and achievable goals too. Once you check out the program, it is impossible to achieve. Recovering addicts need to prepare to deal with the changes they will face in their lifestyle and affect their social lives. At first, when you become sober, you will cope with boredom, helplessness, or loneliness at times.
Activities that were at the center of your addiction life may become dull in your recovery life. You can engage in many drug and alcohol-free activities that will provide you with a mental and social outlet. These activities to engage in include; learning to play an instrument, attending conventions, playing sports, exercise a lot, voluntary work, playing video games, taking dance lessons, going to movies, taking a class, and more. Additionally, building a daily routine can also provide you with a familiar structure to prevent you from being bored and entertaining thoughts about thinking about drugs again.
Money that you could have used to buy drugs and other substances can channel it to countless activities and events. Remember that you do not have to be high to enjoy life after completing a rehab program.
Individual Therapy
A good therapist recognizes that an addiction problem is not just everything to do with chemical dependence. Sometimes it is based on a lifestyle that may include stress or other triggers that lead to drug dependencies. Therefore, cognitive behavioral therapy activities will help recovering addicts understand their underlying challenges and address their problems holistically.
Working with a therapist can help you to uncover distressing withdrawal behaviors or symptoms. Going for counseling sessions may also serve a similar purpose. Doing certain exercise activities like biofeedback and mediation will always encourage you to tune in and relax and at the same time act as a therapeutic outlet.