Congratulations to you. You made the decision to beat addiction and you've taken the necessary steps to overcome your addiction.
You've come this far and you may be wondering, "what's next?"
Overcoming your addiction isn't easy, but with a positive mindset, anything is possible.
We want to help you build a positive future so we've put together five essential ways to build a healthier life after addiction.
Are you ready to gets started? Let's dive in.
1. Develop a Daily Routine
Developing a strong daily routine is the best practice for rebuilding your life after addiction.
Completing specific and scheduled tasks will give structure and a foundation you need to continue moving in the right direction.
Daily routines eliminate much of the decision making that goes into your day. a good routine gets things done automatically and saves you time. One of the best ways to change any behavior, from drug addiction to losing weight, is to eliminate decision making as much as possible. Daily routines accomplish this goal and lead to the creation of positive habits you can carry with you throughout your life.
2. Establish Positive Goals
Create your daily routine with your goals in mind. What would you like to accomplish today? Or this week? Or by the end of the year?
Working towards your goals provides direction and meaning to your life. Achieving your goals gives you immeasurable confidence in yourself and that what you are doing is worthwhile.
3. Practice Self-Care Every Day
A great deal of time goes into drug and alcohol addiction. And as we've learned, it's destructive to ourselves both physically and emotionally.
Life after addiction means feeling good about yourself. Take the time to be good to yourself and build yourself back up.
Take a warm bath before you go to bed. Curl up in a chair with a good book. Take a long walk or sing as loud as you can. Do as many things as you can that make you feel good.
Take joy in discovering new things which make you happy each day.
4. Maintain a Healthy Diet
Post-addiction eating is about giving your body the nutrients it needs to prosper both physically and mentally. Aim to give your body three balanced meals per day.
Identify times in the day where you are most susceptible to eating junk food and strategize a way to beat those temptations. For example, if you crave sweets in the afternoon, eat lunch later in the day so you're not as hungry later. Or bring almonds, fruits or vegetables with you to address your hunger in a more healthy way.
For a little help, check out our free meal plans to suit your goals.
5. Choose Your Friends Carefully
Many people become addicts by hanging around people who heavily use drugs or alcohol. It makes sense, then, to choose friends who will not provide that temptation for you to use again.
It's nearly impossible to stay clean if you are consistently being presented with the opportunity to go back to your old ways.
It may sound harsh, but you need to limit contact with friends who are obstacles in your path to overcome addiction. If they are pressuring you to make bad decisions, you may even need to cut off contact altogether.
Your addiction-free life is at stake and you need to surround yourself with people who support your growth and the decision you've made to overcome addiction.
Many time's it's not the fault of your friends. They have not gone through rehab or understand what you're going through. If you care about them, consider urging them to enter an alcohol or drug rehab program such as this heroin treatment center. You can read about it more in the Sober Living section of our site.
The Bottom Line About Life After Addiction
Embrace your life after addiction. It can be a trying time but look for opportunities to find joy in rediscovering your true self.
Create strong goals for yourself which are both inspirational and achievable. Establish a daily routine that includes daily actions to help you reach those goals. And be good to yourself, particularly when it comes to your diet and health.
If you found this article helpful, please check out our tips on getting a health routine to stick.
