Are you recently sober, or have you tried to get sober before and relapsed? In either case, you probably figured out pretty quickly that staying away from drugs and alcohol is harder than you thought. Often, these things are completely ingrained into our lives, from our daily habits to the people we hang out with. How do you get away from it?

Sober living exists specifically for these types of situations. These programs allow you to slowly reintegrate into society with a job and/or education opportunities, but they do so much more. Sober living arrangements also remove triggers and influences that could cause you to relapse while you learn coping skills for when you are ready to go back to a normal life.

There are thousands of ways that you can get and stay sober. No one plan works for everyone. You are a unique individual, and what you require may be different than another addict. Regardless of your personal circumstances, there are some all natural and holistic ways that you can work to stay sober after rehab.

Cut out caffeine and nicotine.

Caffeine and nicotine are technically stimulants and could be classified as drugs. Although these are relatively harmless, they can contribute to substance abuse triggers. If you are antsy because you had too much caffeine, you could be tempted to chill out with drug or alcohol use. People who have issues coping with cravings or triggers often smoke more cigarettes, which can be hazardous to your health and doesn’t really teach you how to cope with the triggers.

When you are trying to get sober, the last thing you want to do is take more medications to cope with the stress of kicking addiction. There are a lot of great ways that you can calm your mind and body without any type of medication assistance. These activities can help you get through moments of anxiety, as well as cravings. 

Meditation

Most people think that meditation requires emptying your mind of everything, but that isn’t exactly necessary. You can meditate by simply allowing your thoughts to drift by, acknowledging them but not focusing in on them. This state is just as beneficial as emptying your mind as the yogis try to teach.

Many people have more success getting sober in a rehab facility than at home. This is because when you are in a rehab, your environment and activities are tightly controlled. You make few decisions for yourself, and you have to stick to a set schedule of activities and therapies. Sober housing usually doesn’t control as much as rehab, but it does allow for more restrictions than living on your own. Here are some of the benefits of sober housing.

Restricted Access

Just like rehab, sober housing offers restricted access. As a general rule, only residents and treatment providers are allowed on the property, at least during certain hours. This restricted access means that you will not have to worry about drugs or alcohol being present when you are at home.