There are many ways that you can pay for help to stay sober, but not everyone has the money to pay for help when they need it. That’s particularly true for addicts who are considering spending that money on something that’s bad for them.
There are, however, no-cost practices you can use to stay sober. These can help you get through stressful moments when you might be considering doing something you shouldn’t. Let’s discuss these 4 no-cost practices to help you stay sober.
1. Knowledge is Power
The first thing you can do to help yourself stay sober is to learn more about your addiction and what it does to your body. It’s easy nowadays to gain more knowledge without paying a thing by using the internet.
The more you can learn about your own problem, the more motivated you can become to help yourself stay sober and live your best life. You can free yourself from that monkey on your back, but you have to understand what you’re dealing with.
2. Identify Your Triggers
Every addict knows what a trigger is; it’s those situations or people who trigger your urge to use. It could be, for example, upcoming family gatherings or stress at work.
Those are two very common triggers that stimulate your urge to use. It’s important to identify what your triggers are so that you can avoid them or prepare for them.
It’s true that sometimes you can’t avoid a trigger, but if you know what triggers you have, you can take steps to deal with the situation in a better way than by using a substance that does you no good.
3. Meditation
It might sound ‘hippie dippie’ or new age, but meditation really works. In fact, Italian researchers in psychology did a study in 2018 that demonstrated mindfulness-based interventions like meditation had significant advantages over other types of interventions in relation to helping patients maintain their sobriety.
Mindfulness meditation helps you stay grounded in the present moment and understand what’s happening in your mind and body. There’s an easy technique you can use called “STOP.”
S stands for stop what you’re doing and pause your thoughts and actions.
T stands for take a few deep breaths to center yourself and help focus your mind on the present moment.
O stands for observe what’s happening with your body, mind, and emotions. Notice your physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Just identify what they are and sit with them for a moment.
P stands for proceed with making a conscious choice now that you’re fully aware of what’s really going on.
4. Contact Your Peeps
Another great no-cost practice to help you stay sober is to reach out to your peer community. Recent research shows just how helpful a peer community is for the recovering addict’s success.
When you feel that urge come on, talking to other people who know what it’s like can make the difference between staying sober and relapsing. That’s why you want to have your peer community support in place in a way that makes it easy for you to reach out to them at any time.
Sober Sidekick is Your Peer Community
When you need to reach out to a peer community that really cares, Sober Sidekick has got you covered. This online social media platform is composed of recovering addicts who know the score, won’t judge, and can offer you the support you need when you need it. That includes 24/7 virtual AA meetings, accountability partners, and even professional help. Give the app a try today for a sober future.
Image: Freepik
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