Getting sober is a difficult time but it is necessary for a person to survive recovery. It is very important to focus on sobriety with intentionality and not just expect it to continue happening on its own. Learn why it is so important and how to preserve sober time.
It Takes Time
Time does not wait for people to catch up. No shortcuts exist to recovery. The only way out is through. Every day in sobriety is earned through hard work and perseverance. It may be easier to relapse than keep going but the reality is every day is filled with opportunities to do the opposite of what is healthy and best. Learning to use time wisely and focus on the positive aspects of recovery helps to see the bigger picture and focus less on relapse and more on recovery for the long term.
Make Friends with Stamina
Endurance athletes understand best the concept of stamina. It takes great will and perseverance to continue going through the paces of an athlete. People may wear out sooner than others and find the bottle, pills or drugs more inviting than staying in recovery. However, the motivation and effort that is given away needs to be released and moved away to make room for what is good about recovery rather than the temptations of being drawn away. Stamina is a person’s best friend when it comes to staying the course. Pain tolerance must be developed for sticking through the hard stuff of facing the past pain and trauma to move forward. Even when it hurts, just keep going.
Long Term Sobriety Teaches Patience
Long term sobriety is not for the weak, meek or foolish. It is a way to take a good, long hard look at oneself to decide how things will happen. The years of sobriety do not matter as much as the strength of one’s sobriety. Sometimes people in recovery do weird things but it helps not to lose sight of the fact people can be angry, hurt and frustrated. It is part of the human experience and people in recovery do not get a free pass. Valuable lessons can be learned with patience and longevity of recovery. Some of the tenets of long term sobriety come from:
- Showing up on time to commitments
- Loyalty and faithfulness to family and friends
- Earning potential is important to pay bills, repay debt and function in society
- Giving back is important (service)
- Being comfortable with one’s own life
Many people do stay sober and never struggle with relapse while others do. Self-analysis is required to find a way to stay clean and sober as long as possible.
Wrap Up
People with six months or six years sobriety are not any different in that each day presents challenges to sobriety. Sometimes it is hard and other days it is easier. Never lose sight of the fact that each day is a victory. Take time to celebrate the smaller milestones and the rest of the journey will feel less difficult.
Sustain Recovery supports adolescents who need help with recovery from drugs or alcohol. Call us if you want to find out about our programs to support treatment with a focus on individualized plans and approaches to the recovery journey.
