After leaving a rehabilitation center, it isn’t uncommon to wonder how much your social life might change. Therefore, it’s critical to make a conscious effort to remain surrounded by positivity, so your sober living goals remain intact. These plans will include steps toward learning how to redefine your social group during addiction recovery.
Relapse prevention planning after addiction rehab
If you have a plan in place, it’s easier to stay sober. Do you know what your triggers are? If you do, you’re one step closer to knowing how to avoid them. The next part of your plan includes the development of a strong support network of close friends, counselors, and family. Then work on keeping your body healthy by eating well, remaining physically fit, staying active, and ensuring you’re receiving adequate sleep. Maintaining control of your stress levels plays a significant role in this plan, too, so ensure you have a ‘safe place’ to go to when you’re having a tough time.
Take a close look at your social group
Your old friends may not be supportive of your sober living goals. They could still be addicted to drugs or abusing alcohol. Therefore, they could sabotage your sober living efforts. Disengaging from them may be the best thing to do. However, under some circumstances, these individuals may be the only social circle you have. If this is the case, the redefinition of a positive support group must occur immediately. This effort can occur through contacting long lost friends and rekindling those relationships, as well as strengthening neglected family ties.
About sober living in California
It isn’t impossible to start afresh and develop new social connections if you believe your previous groups are too destructive. Rather than isolating yourself, sober living is an opportunity to meet people in 12-step meetings, sober concerts, dry bars, art venues, and sporting events. If you’re concerned about where to meet new people, reach out to your counselors for advice. This effort will help prevent loneliness, depression and, worst of all, relapse.