Are you just back from medically supervised alcohol detox, or maybe you were at a long term drug rehab in Florida somewhere. You may feel kind of scared, nervous about how things will go and how you’ll make sure you can handle the complicated emotions, the feelings that come along with getting home and starting over. Here are a couple of things you can do to help you succeed in your continuing sober life.
Find a therapist
Seek out a therapist. I know you may have been taught, like I was, that psychology is a “soft science”, or that therapy is “just a place people go to gossip about their families”, but therapy is one of the most important parts of addiction recovery. Not only that, it contributes to a normal everyday health for people who do it consistently. Most people never stop going to therapy once they find the right therapist for them, because the opportunity to have someone in your corner who understands the human brain, in fact someone who specializes in it, to process life with you is invaluable. It’s hard to be objective. Therapy can help offer you that chance for hindsight and a personal guide through fear, regret, shame, hurt and heartache, joy, relief, love, and so much more
Take up Meditation
Many folks have started meditating these days. It’s become so much more mainstream. There are apps you can get for your smart phones that will guide you through meditations that are of various lengths so that you can pick and choose for what works best in your busy schedule. It’s pretty great actually because it takes away the excuse that everyone always gives, “I just don’t have time”. You can get meditations as short as three minutes long! Mindfulness meditation can do amazing things. It is easy to do and you can do it in any space you feel comfortable. Just put your headphones on, close your eyes, and listen to the meditation, oh and don’t forget to breathe.
