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Recovering from addiction can take a long time. You need to be realistic about this and you need to be aware that sobriety is something you are going to have to work on for the rest of your life. However, if you are prepared to commit to a programme of recovery and want to live a clean, sober life, this is a real possibility.
Because addiction occurs gradually over an extended period of time, it can take just as long for your brain to heal again. In many instances, it can take up to ten years before the brain has fully recovered from the effects of addiction. It is essential that you spend your time in recovery wisely as this vastly improves your chances of a successful recovery.
Your Recovery Programme
Once you have accepted that addiction is affecting your life, it will be time to seek help. Rehab Helper can provide you with information, advice and support on accessing the right treatments for your addiction.
Once you have signed up for a programme of recovery, you will need to make sure you give it your all. Commit to the programme and do everything in your power to overcome your illness. Your recovery programme will probably include counselling sessions designed to help you identify the cause of your addiction. You may be faced with emotional trauma from your past and, if so, it is vital that you deal with this. If you want to be healed, you need to face your demons head on.
Fellowship Activities
Following on from your programme of rehabilitation, you may be advised to involve yourself in fellowship activities. This is a proven technique that has helped millions of people around the world to deal with their addiction issues and maintain their sobriety.
You may be uncomfortable with the idea of sharing your thoughts and feelings initially, but once you learn to accept that this is an integral part of your recovery, you will see how much it can help you to move forward.
If you are attending fellowship meetings, help out beforehand when it comes to things like getting the coffee ready or setting up the chairs. The more involved you become with those in your fellowship programme, the better your chances of a long-term recovery.
Sober Living
Recovering addicts need to maintain their sobriety by avoiding temptations. To do this, you will have to surround yourself with those who will support your recovery. Stay away from individuals who have a negative impact on you and your sobriety. Maintain contact with your sponsor as this will mean you always have someone to lean on if things get tough.
Make sure you know how to identify triggers that could lead to a relapse. You will also need to learn how to deal with these triggers so that you do not succumb to them. Get rid of any temptations from your home and start living a clean and healthy life.
Rebuilding Your Life
During your addiction, your relationships with loved ones and colleagues may have suffered. Now it is time to start rebuilding these relationships and move forward with the rest of your life. This is not going to be easy because much of the trust you had with other people will have broken down because of your actions while addicted.
It will take time and hard work on your part to earn the respect of others but it can be done and you can move forward and start enjoying your life again. As long as you think about your hopes for the future and keep this in mind, you should be motivated to rebuild your life again.
