You have made the journey through treatment. You fought an addiction, worked on your mental health and did the hard work of changing your lifestyle. First, your whole life was consumed with your addiction. You focused on the drug, the high, how you would get it, where you would use it, and who you would use it with. You lost a lot of yourself to that addiction. You then made the decision to change your life. Your whole world changed to focus on your recovery. You first thought about treatment, where you would go, how your life would change. Then you worked hard and focused on yourself and your mental health. You did the hard work and it greatly paid off. But what do you do now?
Life of Sobriety
You have probably found that you have more free time now. Your life is no longer focused on your addiction, and you are not so intensely focused on getting sober and improving your mental health. This free time to think can be a blessing, but it’s also scary. You might start to worry about relapse, about connecting with people who may be triggers or who may not be supportive of your sober lifestyle. Finding a productive and healthy hobby is a great way to stay on track and enjoy yourself.
Join a Group or Club
Connecting with others who share a similar interest is a great way to form friendships, build bonds, and spend your time in a healthy way. Whether the group is one of the people living in recovery or one that focuses on a sport or hobby, you will probably meet some great people. Learning to occupy your time will probably feel strange at first. You’ll feel like there is something else you should be doing. Once you get into the swing of attending the club or sport, however, you will probably really enjoy it.
Educate Others
You have great knowledge about what life was like suffering from an addiction. Now you have experience of the process of getting sober and working on your mental health. There is still so much stigma in our society. Use your knowledge to better society. Help to inform and educate others. You can join organizations that reach people from all walks of life, or you can simply take to your social media to spread truthful and accurate information about your experiences. Do not simply tell people about the good stuff, like how great you feel sober. Be truthful and honest about the entire experience. You may be the reason someone decides to get sober or work on their mental health. Or you may be the reason someone stops stereotyping people with addictions or mental health struggles. You have the opportunity to do some really great things for society and for others who are still suffering from an addiction.
Learn to Relax
Yoga or meditation can be great activities to learn. Finding your inner calm can be challenging, but when you do find it, it is a great feeling. Learning to be okay relaxing is powerful. We live in a society that glamorizes being constantly busy. You do not always need to be doing something or going somewhere. It is perfectly okay to relax on the couch and watch a movie or take some time every morning or evening to do some yoga. Finding ways to relax is very important to our mental health. We all need to recharge in order to tackle our problems and have successful days.
Start a Side Job
We have all seen companies advertise about joining their company and selling their products. You probably have a few friends who sell hair products, makeup, energy drinks, or health products. If you find you have extra time that you would like to fill, look into one of these companies. Opportunities like these will help you to connect with others, step outside of your comfort zone, and even make some extra money. Learning to connect to others without the addition or use of substances will be a great and rewarding experience.
Travel
Traveling can be a great educational experience. It gives you the chance to see new places, learn about other cultures or religions, and gain freedom. In the past, you were all consumed with your addiction. Now you are free and can create new experiences. Think about traveling on your own. If you are someone who does little on your own, this will help to build your confidence–you can do anything you set your mind to. You are fully capable of exploring and traveling to new places on your own. Pack your bags and get ready for an adventure.
Life after addiction can be exciting, scary, and adventurous. So many things about your life have had to change so that you can lead a healthy and happy life. Learning to fill your day with new activities can be a challenge. It can feel weird not focusing your entire day and night on your addiction or on your recovery treatment. Leading a life of sobriety is exciting, and you can now focus on new adventures. Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start, how to fill your time, or what to do first. We here at The Guest House fully understand that the recovery process does not end simply because you are no longer addicted to a substance. We are here to help you at any stage and with any struggle you may be facing. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you at (855) 483-7800.