There is lots of help and support available out there to help you give up drinking alcohol and, most importantly, staying sober. Although sobriety takes time, patience and a lot of hard work, it is possible to aim for long term sobriety. If you want to break those habits and learn over time how to stay sober, here is our best advice to you:
A huge part of preventing an alcohol relapse is to recognise your personal triggers, whether that’s a place, a person or a situation that causes you to crave alcohol. It’s also important that you are able to identify your internal triggers too – the emotions, thoughts or feelings that you associate with alcohol.
Common triggers include:
Another key part of a successful alcohol recovery is to avoid old routines that could cause you to slip back into old habits and use alcohol as your coping mechanism or crutch. With this in mind, you should make positive changes to your everyday routine that will keep you on the track to recovery.
This includes avoiding people and places that you associate with alcohol, avoiding any triggers that could lead to cravings, and focusing on finding new hobbies and activities to keep your mind focused and occupied. You need to build a new routine that supports your sobriety.
Successful sobriety is all about building healthy relationships and avoiding toxic ones from your past. Whether it’s a friend, family member or colleague, it’s important that you avoid anyone who could encourage you to drink alcohol again, knowingly or unknowingly.
Instead, focus all your efforts on building healthy relationships with those that support your journey, people that are there for you and those that will empower you to stay sober for good.
If you surround yourself with people who love you and genuinely support your journey, you are more likely to stay sober. Spending more time with supportive loved ones and planning activities for you all to enjoy can also contribute to a successful recovery and help you to lead a healthier and more fulfilled lifestyle.
People who constantly question you about why you are not drinking, is more about them and their own feelings, than it is about you. If you feel judged in anyway, think twice about spending time with those people. You should be congratulated, not frowned on.
Finally, you should never be afraid or embarrassed to get the help you need on your journey to recovery. You will have both up and down days and it’s crucial that during those tough times, you get the help that you need.
Professional and accessible help is widely available including support from therapists, rehab centres and mental health professionals, who are trained to help you to cope with some of the challenges you may face on your path to sobriety.
The Samaritans offer amazing free support for anyone having a difficult time, not only for people who want to stop drinking alcohol. Call day or night 116 113.
Here at ANA Treatments, we provide individually tailored detoxification programmes that have been carefully designed to help our clients to rebuild their lives, gain confidence and re-discover their self-worth. Our mission is to provide our patients with the resilience and tools they need to live a healthy, responsible and productive life, free of alcohol.
For us, it’s all about encouraging recovery through support, respect and teaching vital life skills. For further information about our drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Portsmouth, Hampshire, please get in touch.
