If you are considering self help ways for addiction recovery, there are several sobriety apps that will support you during your sober journey.
From establishing healthy routines, to learning a new hobby to cope with stress or boredom, read more about 10 things you can do today to overcome drug addiction.
- Schedule A Daily Routine
Structure is an important part in the recovery process. If you have been in a treatment center previously, the highly structured days may have helped you find your feet again after a relapse. When outside of rehab, it can be more challenging to create a new routine, especially if you have not been able to change the environment that you are surrounded in.
Time can be in your favor during the day when it comes to accountability and overcoming addiction. By establishing a routine, you can set goals you can work towards. Goals can range from joining an evening class, enrolling in an online or in-person program, sticking to a budget, or joining a local sports team.
On some sober apps, you can create goals within the app and have it set reminders for you to keep on track and feel connected to a routine that gives you a sense of grounding when you need it most.
If you need further addiction help, you can reach out to local treatment centers, a peer accountability coach, or your sponsor who may be able to help you find a routine that works for you.
2. Learn Positive Ways To Manage Stress
Stress often leads to triggered behaviors that continue a negative spiral. Stress is a part of life in many forms, but it also can lead to understanding yourself better when you can learn how to manage stress in more positive ways.
A sober app can help you establish new ways to approach stress through daily reminders, motivational messages, and strong supportive communities that are there when you need to talk through a stressful situation.
For self help addiction recovery, it is important to know when you may need more professional help to manage forms of stress. If you join a quit drinking app, you can access local and regional numbers, as well as hotlines that can help give you the resources you need to learn new patterns for positive approaches to stress.
3. Challenge Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts are bound to arise, especially if you are experiencing cravings, triggers, or boredom. Those thoughts are surrounded by past experience, bad memories, and how you are currently feeling about things.
To challenge negative thoughts, there are many approaches to take in overcoming addiction. When you download an addiction app, you can access resources that teach positive thoughts through gratitude, journal prompts, and personal messages that you may not get elsewhere on a daily basis.
4. Lean on Trusted Friends and Family Members
Look for people in your life who can offer a compassionate environment of support. If you have trusted friends or family members who have been an anchor for you, they are a valuable resource for overcoming addiction for long-term recovery.
What can cause obstacles for this aspect of recovery is often the stigma of shame, or resentment from past circumstances. While not every person is comfortable with leaning on others, it is a valuable resource in recovery. There may be days that are more difficult than others, and with the ability to connect with friends quickly, you can find relief in talking to someone who can compassionately listen and understand.
If there are not family members or friends to talk to, consider looking for a quit drinking app that can connect you to local sober communities that offer support. From chat forums to personal messages, there are people out there who can be reliable supports for recovery.
5. Find Healthy Approaches to Sleep, Exercise, and and Nutrition
Addiction takes a toll on physical and mental health. Addiction causes nutritional deficiencies that hinder the body from feeling its best. From a reduced appetite to depleted nutrients from addictive substances, there can be consequences of issues that create worse problems down the road.
It may be important to consider getting addiction help through your healthcare provider or a nutritionist who can walk through your concerns that may be hindering restful sleep and proper absorption of nutrition. In many cases, too much fat or sugar can cause spikes in cravings that reinforce negative thoughts and behavior.
Not all healthy meal plans or routines for every person, which is why it is important for you to assess and take an approach personalized to you. In general, eating a variety of unprocessed foods and avoiding refined sugars helps regulate your stomach that aids better sleep and gives you the energy to exercise during the day.
By instilling healthy approaches for nutritional food, regular exercise, and a routine for sleep, your body will find a better balance for overcoming addiction.
6. Pick Up a New Hobby or Activity
A new hobby or activity helps you move past addiction behaviors by restructuring your time in a more positive and healthy way. By participating in enjoyable hobbies or fun activities, you are able to move past boredom, anger, stress, and other negative emotions that can be triggering for addiction.
While in theory it is great, it is another thing to put it into practice. Finding the right hobby means taking the time to learn what you enjoy doing. Not every activity may be of interest to you, but there are thousands of possibilities and there is a right one just for you. From creative outlets like learning a new form of art, or participating in a local 5k, to attending classes about survival skills in the wilderness, there are endless fun activities that you can be a part of.
Knowing your strengths can help you identify the type of hobby that may provide addiction help, as well as narrow down the list of possibilities. Whether you want to rekindle your enjoyment for music, or are interested in joining a group activity, check out local and online resources to help you find one that works for you.
7. Refocus Triggers and Cravings
It is important to remember that triggers and cravings can be refocused. From situational triggers to long-term mental health issues, it is possible to refocus your thoughts elsewhere to overcome addiction.
When starting out with refocusing techniques, considering downloading an addiction app. Some apps feature games that can refocus your mind, or meditations that guide you through triggers to create positive outcomes.
8. Give Back To Your Community
A research study revealed that individuals recovering from alcoholism in AA who helped others during treatment were more likely to be sober in the following year. The implications in giving back is a core foundation to 12 Step groups that make it easy to give back in a meaningful way.
Giving back to the community can also look like volunteering at a local nonprofit, or connecting with local community members who are in need of help. Volunteering empowers you and provides a sense of accomplishment towards something greater.
If you are uncertain where to start when giving back to your community, talk to your local AA group about being a sponsor, or learn how to give support through a sobriety app. Sobriety apps give you the chance to respond to chat messages and community boards to stories and posts that may be similar to your own experiences. By helping others, you can find community and reassurance to overcome addiction.
9. Download An Addiction Recovery App
In today’s world, apps run the show and an addiction app may be your self help guide to overcoming addiction. Many apps offer daily reminders, sobriety trackers, and sober guides that show how an enjoyable life in recovery is possible.
Addiction apps offer local and regional resources for treatment centers, hotlines, and community chat boards where you can connect with like-minded people who understand your experience. A sober app is a digital solution that can reinforce healthy routines and manage your health in a way that other health apps may not be able to.
- Join a Sober Community
Sober communities are one of the most powerful forms of addiction recovery. For many, their greatest resource for a sober community is through their local AA or NA group. Beyond the 12 Step program, a sobriety app can offer local and global communities of people who have gone through similar experiences as you.
Addiction can be isolating on your own, which is why it is important to lean on sober communities that have your best interests at heart. If you are having trouble finding a reliable community, check out Loosid’s boozeless guides and community chat boards for support in long-term recovery.
What Self Help Addiction Recovery Can Look Like For You
Every person experiencing drug addiction needs different things that help aid the long-term recovery process. Write down what aspects of self help recovery you think is right for you and consult with trusted friends or a provider to find the best way to manage negative thoughts and shift behavior into positive habits.
