You decided enough was enough and got help.

You made it through a heroin addiction treatment program and now you are back in the real world. Some days are challenging, but life without drugs or alcohol is becoming your new norm. Sobriety may be a life-long journey but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate along the way.

Why Celebrating Sobriety Is Important

With kids, work, school, and all of life’s responsibilities, life can be hectic. While it can be easy to get caught up in the mayhem, it is important to stop and take time to celebrate your sobriety milestones. Staying sober is a big accomplishment so it is important to take the time to pat yourself on the back. Especially if you are in early recovery, you may be struggling with intense drug cravings and your journey may not be easy. Celebrating your sober birthday or anniversary can reinforce your sobriety while also motivating you to continue to stay sober.

How to Celebrate Sobriety Milestones

Whether you are celebrating one month of sobriety or 20 years without drugs or alcohol, it is important to make the most of those sobriety milestones by doing something special. As a drug and alcohol treatment center in Chicago, we are sharing some of our favorite ways to celebrate sobriety.

Get A Personalized Sobriety Memento

Staying sober is a big deal so make sure to commemorate this milestone. Especially if you are celebrating one year of sobriety, a personalized memento can be meaningful. Engrave a piece of jewelry, watch, keychain or wallet that you can have with you often to remind yourself of this accomplishment frequently. It can also be a source of strength if you are feeling weak or like you may relapse.

Make It A Special Occasion

Just like birthdays, celebrating sobriety should be fun. Make your sobriety birthday special. The bigger the milestone, the bigger the reward. This can include lots of things from your favorite coffee drink and a new book after two weeks sober to tickets to your favorite sporting event after two years. The important thing is that you take time to do something unique to commemorate your success. Just avoid any drug triggers like wild bars or clubs.

Celebrate With Loved Ones

While recovery is a personal accomplishment, you probably could not have done it without other people’s help. A good support system can go a long way, so take this time to celebrate your sobriety with the people who were there for you. Chances are you were not always easy to deal with so celebrating with your support system will also be a way to show them how appreciative you are of their help. Go to dinner, go bowling, get tickets to an event like a concert – the possibilities are endless.

Check In With Your Recovery

Especially if you have been feeling tempted recently and felt like a relapse may occur, it may be time to use your sobriety anniversary to actively check on your recovery journey. Attend a meeting nearby. Reconnect with alumni from your drug rehab or your sponsor. Find a therapist to talk to. There are plenty of resources out there if you feel like you might relapse so use these milestones to make sure you stay on track.

Remember those Big Life Events

It doesn’t need to be the anniversary of the day you’ve been sober in order to celebrate. Commemorate those big life events too. If you had never gotten cocaine addiction treatment, you may not have earned your master’s degree. If you were still drinking heavily, you may not have found your future husband and made it to the alter. When these big life event occur, take a moment to reflect and remind yourself that this is why you got sober.

There are plenty of different ways to celebrate your recovery journey, above are just a few suggestions. Just remember celebrating sobriety is important and can help keep you on track.

If you or someone you know recently relapsed or has yet to take that first step to get sober, do not wait.

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At Banyan Chicago, we have the programs to help you create the sober life you always wanted. Call us today at 888-280-4763 to learn more.