Becoming sober is a huge achievement, but the work doesn’t stop there. Here’s how to prevent relapses into alcoholism.
Talk to Your Therapist Regularly
Being sober doesn’t mean that you have to stop seeing your therapist. It’s as important as ever to talk to them and work through problems with them. Staying sober is a continual process that you have to work on, and talking to your therapist is a part of that. They’ll be able to provide you with coping mechanisms that will help you stay away from alcohol when you’re finding things difficult.
Limit Stress
Many people turn to alcohol as a way of relieving stress and escaping from stressful situations. Whether your job is weighing you down, or you’re struggling with family life, alcohol is not the answer. If you do find yourself getting stressed a lot, talk to a doctor, don’t reach for the bottle. Try to limit the stress in your life as much as you possibly can. If work is the problem, talk to your boss, and you might be able to find a solution.
Don’t Expose Yourself to Alcohol
The simplest way to stop yourself falling back into your past drinking habits is to stay away from alcohol. That’s easier said than done though. Obviously, you shouldn’t buy alcohol and keep it in the house. Even if you buy it for your partner, you could be tempted to drink some yourself. You should also stay away from social situations in which everyone around you is drinking, as this makes it difficult for you.
Use Your Willpower
We all have willpower, even if you think yours isn’t very strong. It’s all about belief and making ourselves think that we don’t need to drink and that we do have control over our actions. If you allow your willpower to become weak, it can be very easy for the temptation to drink to take over. Every time you feel the temptation to drink, do your best to get past it. And every time you resist that urge, you strengthen your willpower.
Fill Your Time with Activities
If you’re doing other things with your time, then you won’t have the time to drink. This might sound simplistic, and that’s because it is. But it really works. By eliminating boredom from your life, you will also reduce the temptation you feel to drink. Pour your passion into a new hobby. Ideally, it should be something you love and can spend a vast amount of time doing. A new obsession to replace your obsession with drinking helps a lot.
If You do Relapse, Get the Right Help
If the worst does happen, you need to take the right steps to get back on track. You can visit Beachway.com to find out about treatments that focus on not only getting sober but also preventing relapses. If you have expert support, you’ll be able to make a long-term recovery rather than another short-term one.
Relapses are difficult to go through, so take every step necessary to make sure you don’t relapse and start drinking again.
