If you’re going to get and stay sober, you gotta play by the rules! But, of course, before you can do that, you have to know the rules.
That’s why we’ve put together an explanation of the 5 rules of recovery. Stick to these rules, and you can stay sober for a better life.
1. Change Your Life
As an addict, you seek out people who are addicts too. After all, everyone wants to feel accepted, and addicts accept one another for what they are.
But if you really want to change, you have to seek out people who want something better for their lives than being enslaved by a substance. That means you have to change who you hang out with, but that’s not all.
Addicts are also triggered by certain situations that make them reach for that bottle, those pills, or that injection. So you have to figure out what situations trigger you and avoid them. That means making big changes in your routine.
It seems like a lot to do, and it may even feel overwhelming, but it’s the road to recovery success.
2. Tell the Truth
You can’t lie to yourself, your friends, or your family anymore. You have to tell the truth about what addiction is doing to you and your life.
Addiction ruins relationships and destroys careers. It can kill you if you’re not careful, and that would be a shame.
To get and stay sober, you have to tell the truth about your addiction. It’s important to be honest with everyone, but it’s most important to be honest with yourself. When you get honest, you can start to take the actions that will make a real difference.
3. Get Help
The road to recovery is not one that’s easily traveled alone. You need help. You need people who will keep you accountable and who will give you the support you need to keep going.
You also need to face the demons that created the problem in the first place. That means you need some therapy. Before you shy away from it, let me assure you that getting therapy is the most courageous thing you will ever do.
You also need a peer support group of people who know how it feels. They can help you develop new coping strategies to deal with stress, and they can help you get through rough times.
4. Take Care of Your Mental and Physical Wellbeing
When you don’t have that substance to reach for anymore, you need to replace it with something positive and life-affirming. You need to take care of both your mental and physical well-being.
That might mean meditation, walking in nature, getting exercise, and talking to a good friend who cares about your health. Whatever it means to you, you need something positive to help you heal.
5. No Negotiation
You can’t negotiate the rules. You have to do these things if you’re serious about recovery. Getting and staying sober is a huge change to make, and it’s not easy.
There will be times when you’ll want to chuck everything and run back to your substance of choice. The rules help prevent that. Stick to the rules, and the road to recovery will be much easier.
Sober Sidekick Can Help You Stick to the Rules!
Sober Sidekick is an app and social media platform that includes a peer community membership of over 150,000 people. That’s 150,000+ helping hands to reach for when you feel weak. What’s more, you can reach out any time of the day or night, so when you’re at your lowest, a friend in your Sober Sidekick community can help. Give it a try today!
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