Living a sober life in recovery is an amazing accomplishment. You worked extremely hard in treatment to face your challenges and work on your mental health. There were many uncomfortable moments where you probably wondered if you would make it successfully through rehab. However, you made it through treatment; you are sober and healthy and continuing your journey towards success.
Everyone is on a unique recovery path. We all face different challenges as we move forward towards our goals. The simple truth is, the work does not end when you become sober and leave treatment. There will still be triggers, hardships, stigma, and much more you will have to face daily. Here are five common challenges that many individuals face as they move through long-term recovery.
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Transitioning Out of Rehab Back Home
In-patient treatment had a lot of benefits. You had the luxury of separating yourself away from your substance of choice and could focus solely on your mental health and healing. For some, the transition back into society can be a challenge. Stay focused on the goals that you set for yourself while you were in treatment.
As you transition back home to the life that you knew before, you will face temptation. Transitions can be difficult for everyone. They can make us uncomfortable as we step outside of our comfort zone and our routine. Continue to work with a mental health professional to maintain your sobriety and mental health. Staying focused on what we have worked so hard on and what our future holds is a great way to get past the discomfort we will probably face as we transition to life after rehab.
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Developing New Coping Strategies
Life can be stressful and challenging for everyone. Now that you are living a sober and healthy lifestyle, you will probably need to learn new coping strategies for when that inevitable stress hits you. In the past, you probably turned to risky behavior and your substance of choice. Now you will need to learn to turn to something or someone else when you feel this way.
Now is the perfect time to continue what you learned in treatment and begin experimenting with new stress-relieving activities. Maybe activities such as mediation or yoga will be suitable for you. Others may find hiking, reading, or journaling to be beneficial coping activities.
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Building New Relationships and Repairing Old Ones
When you were experiencing active addiction, it probably affected every relationship in your life. You may have broken trust with people, said things you did not mean, or behaved in a way that caused tension and stress. You probably also had relationships centered around your substance of choice. Those relationships likely impacted your behavior and the choices you made when you were suffering and needing help. Understanding how the relationships in our lives affect our choices is essential.
Now that you are in recovery, it is time to focus on the relationships within your life. You may find that there are relationships that need to be mended and given support. Working to gain trust back from loved ones takes time and energy. Being open and honest through the process of healing is a great start. You also will notice that some relationships may simply not be healthy for you anymore now that you are sober. Creating boundaries is something you probably talked a lot about in therapy. You probably formulated plans and talked about how you were going to handle different situations. Now that you are back in society, those things you spoke about during sessions in rehab now need to be put into action. You are capable of so much; move forward with confidence and determination.
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Fighting Boredom
Boredom can be a dangerous thing. You probably became used to specific activities that are now risky for your sobriety. Learning to have fun and safely occupy your time is a huge part of a long-term recovery plan. Try out new activities. You may be shocked to find what you actually enjoy. Fighting boredom after treatment is a great time to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things.
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Finding a Purpose
Finding a purpose is an essential aspect of recovery. Finding a purpose can be a challenge for those who have suffered from addiction for an extended period. Addiction probably consumed your life. It made you forget who you really are, what you enjoy, and what you care about. Learning to understand who you are again will lead you to find your purpose and passion in life.
You should be incredibly proud of yourself for taking the steps necessary to face your addiction and work on your mental health. Taking that first step of asking for help was tremendous. It was a challenging journey, sometimes uncomfortable, and it challenged you in ways you never thought possible. You made it, however, and are now rocking the recovery lifestyle. As you have probably already found out, recovery comes with challenges. You have had to transition back into society, face your triggers, work on relationships, and so much more. Learning to meet each challenge with a clear and goal-focused mind will help you continue your recovery and sobriety. Here at The Guest House, we are a group of professionals with extensive experience helping individuals just like you maintain their sobriety and continue with their unique goals. We are here to help and support you regardless of where you are in the recovery process. Call us today at (855) 483-7800.