An addiction can be hard to live with, whether you have been sober for only a few days or for years. It is possible for a person to relapse at any time, which is why it is important for someone in an alcohol and drug rehab facility to learn skills that can be transferred to daily life to control relapse urges. Many times people find themselves replacing one addiction with another, which is just as dangerous as not going to an alcohol rehab clinic or prescription drug rehab at all. People trying to live a sober life should know how to fight the physical and mental urges of addiction to avoid relapse.
Exercise
Working out daily or every other day is a great way to stay fit and avoid addiction. Exercise requires individuals to focus on counting reps when lifting weights or perfecting their form when doing yoga or aerobics. These practices can distract the mind from other tasks or thoughts that could be detrimental to recovery.
Add physical exercise to your daily schedule so that you have something to look forward to each day. Once you get into the habit of going to the gym every day or taking a walk around the neighborhood, you will begin to think about your workouts instead of your addictions. Physical exercise releases endorphins that trigger good feelings and is a much better alternative for your body and health than drugs or alcohol.
Meditate
Meditation is the practice of clearing the mind of all thoughts, both good and bad, and focusing on emptiness. Meditation does not have to be spiritual or religious, but rather is a great practice for a person to focus all of his or her energy on staying quiet and keeping the mind blank.
This takes practice, but if you can devote at least 10 to 15 minutes a day to meditating, you can train your mind to dispel any thoughts that might trigger your addiction. Instead, work on taking long breaths in and out, and focus on blocking out noises and mind wandering. If you feel like you are in a triggering situation, use what you know from meditating to calm yourself down through breathing exercises or emptying your mind.
Learn Something New
One of the best ways to keep both your mind and your hands busy is to learn something new. Teaching yourself how to make or do something is a positive activity that can help distract you from addiction urges. Learning something new takes time and concentration, and is a good way to fill up any time during the day that might otherwise be spent giving into an addiction.
Teach yourself how to play the guitar, how to build something, how to paint or learn something else that piques your interest. If you are still worried about spending time alone, ask a friend or family member to join you; you can even teach that person something you already know how to do or learn a new skill from him or her.
Avoid Situations that can Trigger the Addiction
One of the simplest ways to fight mental and physical urges of addiction is to avoid any negative situations. If that means skipping out on hanging out with friends or family, then that is what you should do. Those who are important to you will understand that dealing with an addiction is not an easy task and takes hard work every day. It is much better to remove yourself from triggering situations altogether than to try to be strong enough to decline the offer to drink or do drugs. Many times, successful treatment includes family behavioral health treatment.
Arizona treatment centers are dedicated to helping patients recover and live full lives after rehab. They also offer people the opportunity to join support groups or therapy sessions after leaving the treatment center so that they can stay on the right track. If you feel like you need to get help for your addictions or if you think you might relapse, visit one of the residential treatment centers in Arizona today.