Staying Sober: Taking the First Steps
August 31, 2023 | Posted In Home
Though completing an addiction treatment program is a major first step toward recovery, it is also important that you maintain long-term sobriety, which can be the most challenging part of the rehabilitation program. Most people experience relapse after their treatment. But if you have a strict strategy to adhere to, staying sober can be easy. Let us see some tips for sober living in Berkeley that will help you significantly.
Consider Sober Living Homes
This could be one of the best ways to start your journey to long-term sobriety. Relationships with your family or career can be challenging. But sober living in Berkeley can offer your alcohol and drug-free environments to establish and maintain sobriety. These facilities provide you with more freedom with their intensive recovery programs. You can come and go as you wish but must participate in several meetings.
Sober living homes provide support through group therapy, substance abuse counseling, career counseling, life skill training, relapse prevention counseling, spiritual studies, workout facilities, and 24/7 available staff. You will also receive ongoing counseling and medication management to help with your mental health struggles.
Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Making lifestyle changes to maintain addiction recovery is essential. Start by eating healthy food items since most people with substance abuse issues are low on specific nutrients needed to stay healthy. A poor diet will leave you low on energy, and you may also experience depression and anxiety, which can often lead to cravings for alcohol and drugs, thus keeping you in a stressful cycle. Alcohol addiction causes deficiencies of essential nutrients, including Vitamin A, C, E, Vitamin B complex, zinc, and amino acids.
These deficits also put you at risk of internal bleeding, liver damage, and poor bone health. You also experience dental issues, muscle loss, and getting sick easily. If you have struggled with meth and cocaine, you may not have eaten enough food overall and decreased your water intake. Such problems may lead to an increased risk of dehydration, heart rate changes, and low electrolytes, thus causing symptoms like brain fog, severe weight loss, etc.
So, start drinking plenty of water and avoid caffeinated drinks. Ensure you include plenty of vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and fruits in your diet as well as yogurt, cheese, and milk, which can help strengthen your gums and teeth.
Regular Exercise
One of the key ingredients for staying sober long-term is exercise. People with a strict exercise program are more likely to remain in recovery since exercise releases specific neurochemicals in your body, thus making you feel better about yourself.
Regular exercise can also help you make healthy social connections and reduce boredom and loneliness, thus preventing the trigger that could lead to relapse. You can start by walking or running, joining a gym, or enrolling in a yoga class. Consider the things you have always wanted to try, like canoeing and hiking.
Look for Long Term Recovery Options
These elements make up the basic and important steps toward long-term sobriety. These little changes may be difficult for you to make, but this is what will get you to live a healthy, addiction-free life.
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