The start of a new calendar year is traditionally a time of change and renewal. For many, this means it’s also the time to make New Year’s resolutions. If you’ve gotten sober in an alcohol treatment center, your goal may be to remain abstinent in the months ahead. Many people don’t follow through on their end-of-year resolutions. But for anyone in recovery, that’s something to avoid if possible. Fortunately, there are realistic, achievable steps you can take to honor your sobriety commitments.
Build Up Your Alcohol Sobriety Support Network
Some people attempt to maintain their sobriety on their own. But, far too often, this is the path to relapse and a need for further alcohol treatment. Research consistently shows that staying sober is much easier if you have a strong support network. This network of friends, family, and recovery peers gives you a place to do such things as:
- Talk about your day-to-day struggles with sobriety
- Get help in moments when you feel you might relapse
- Learn from the experiences of others in the same situation
- Socialize with people who understand and support your sobriety goals
By sharing the load in these ways, you make it all the easier to stick to your resolution.
Rely on the Skills You Learned in Your Alcohol Treatment Program
A well-designed alcohol treatment program shows you effective ways to stay sober daily. Common examples of these tactics include:
- Paying attention to changes in your urge to drink
- Understanding the things that make your urges worse
- Avoiding those things whenever you can
- Learning how to tolerate situations that you can’t avoid
- Seeking advice and guidance from your support network
You must take full advantage of your sobriety skills as often as possible. Continuing abstinence becomes a much more realistic objective when those skills remain sharp.
Plan in Advance and Set Reasonable Goals
New Year’s resolutions are often wished more than practical roadmaps for change. This helps explain why so many of them get tossed aside as the year progresses. Don’t set yourself up for these kinds of empty promises. Instead, take the time to create a coherent sobriety strategy. This approach helps you avoid spontaneously improvising your way through difficult situations. In turn, it also helps you follow through and stay sober.
The same holds for setting reasonable sobriety goals. It’s important to know what you can and cannot handle. It’s also important to take things gradually and adjust your abstinence efforts when necessary.
Stay in Touch With Alcohol Treatment Resources
Completing alcohol treatment doesn’t mean cutting yourself off your professional recovery resources. Failure to use these resources can significantly boost your risk for a relapse. Make sure to check in with your doctor from time to time. This allows you to report your progress and struggles after alcoholism rehab. It also allows your doctor to evaluate you and see how you’re doing. Like many people in recovery, you may also need to rejoin a treatment program to keep your sobriety going. Fortunately, with the right alcohol use disorder treatment program, you’ll be able to find the necessary support.
Learn More About Maintaining Your Alcohol Sobriety at Northpoint Colorado
Daily life after alcoholism rehab can be challenging, even in the best circumstances. Want to find out more about making and keeping a resolution to stay alcohol-free? Talk to the experts at Northpoint Colorado. With our help, you can devise a workable alcohol sobriety strategy.
Northpoint also offers many other forms of treatment and sobriety support. Whether trying to get sober or working to maintain abstinence, you’ll find options that fit your needs. Call us today at 888.231.1281 or complete our convenient online message form.