Once you've gone through drug treatment and addressed your addiction, living a sober lifestyle may be quite difficult for you.

One thing that proves to be most difficult for many is facing your inner demons. While you may wish to pretend they don't exist, your new life in recovery relies on you not falling back into any old habits. Here are some tips on how to start fresh during recovery.

 Consider your life in recovery as a second chance.

This is your opportunity to start anew, your opportunity for a rebirth. While you may not be able to change the past, you now have the chance to create your future as a clean, healthy individual. You also have the chance to develop positive relationships with family and friends that may have been damaged or promoted drug use in the past. Sometimes, this means terminating relationships with people who condoned or helped your drug use. It could mean working on building trust in relationships with family and friends that you may have broken previously. The best way to do this is to be accountable and responsible, and take it slowly.

Creating a new life also means you may need to move.

This could be as simple as changing your apartment or home, or even moving to another city or state. This, of course, depends on each individual situation. No matter your physical location, you must be able to put into practice the things you learned during treatment. This includes any coping mechanisms or other strategies on how to not fall back into using. Make sure you reach out to your support system for help when necessary.

You must be able to say no, and feel comfortable doing so.

Your commitment to recovery means saying no to temptations, even if you think you can limit yourself to “just one.” For example, your sobriety milestones can certainly be something you'll want to celebrate, but you should be careful with how they are celebrated. Many of your close friends, who may not be addicts, may confuse non-alcoholic beer, or “near beer,” for something you can drink. The reality is, there is scientific proof that those attempting to abstain from the use of alcohol should steer clear of these types of beverages. For one, it actually does include a small amount of alcohol, and the smell of beer could be a trigger for cravings and even a relapse. Make sure you set boundaries with those you may celebrate with, and surround yourself with people who will understand and respect those boundaries.

Focus on your own goals and milestones.

Another thing you can focus on with your new sober lifestyle is completing goals that you had maybe put off previously. Work together with your family and support system to complete these tasks. Challenging yourself to learn new things will keep you motivated and give you something to look forward to. Getting your mental and physical health back in good condition could be some things you focus on. Use recovery 12-step groups and your sponsor as a support system, and remember you're not the only one experiencing a rebirth. Also, remember to give yourself a break sometimes. Remember that you're only human and this process is going to be difficult, but very rewarding when you're living in recovery.

You may want to envision your recovery becoming a success in a specific period of time, but it's impossible to know determine. It's different for everyone. In fact, some people in recovery for many years end up having cravings out of nowhere. This is the reality of recovering from an addiction, but you can be successful by combatting those urges and staying focused.

If you need help or have questions about recovery,

or anything relating to addiction,

Please contact one of our counselors.