As you counted down to the New Year, you probably thought about all of the things you wanted to do this coming year, as well as all of the resolutions you wanted to make.

Unfortunately, many of these resolutions fall to the wayside. One study estimates that as many as 80% of people fail when it comes to completing their New Year’s resolutions with many burning out by mid-February.¹ While these numbers are depressing, you do not have to be part of this statistic.  

Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution of Staying Sober

New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep, especially with something as complicated as sobriety. Life gets busy and excuses become all too easy to find. While it may be tempting to throw in the towel sometimes, staying sober is one goal you should do your best to keep. It may not be easy, but our drug rehab in Gilman is sharing some tips on how to keep your New Year’s resolution of sobriety.

Write it down and put it somewhere you see often.

This is a common tip to help people keep their resolutions and goals. So, why not apply it to your sobriety as well? Having a physical note that can act as a constant reminder in your life can help keep you focused on this goal.

Celebrate & reward your progress.

It is important to celebrate sobriety milestones no matter how big or small. Not only can doing so be a fun reward, but treating yourself can also act as a positive reinforcement for your sobriety journey. You will be much more motivated to continue to remain sober if you are taking the time to recognize your progress so far and appreciate how much you have already achieved.

Get Support

Support is a necessary component of maintaining your sobriety. If you went through residential substance abuse treatment, your peers, therapist, and other facility personnel supported you at this stage of your recovery journey. If you are trying to get and stay sober on your own, you may not have these support groups in place. Tell your closest friends and family about your sobriety goal so that they can help keep you honest.

Don’t get complacent.

It can be easy to get complacent with your sobriety, but doing so could put you at greater risk for relapse. Addiction recovery is a lifelong journey, and sobriety is an active choice you continue to make with each passing day. The best way to keep your New Year’s resolution of sobriety is to take active steps to stay sober. This approach includes consistently attending meetings, staying in contact with your sponsor, and participating in any drug addiction therapies that you can while no longer in treatment.

Keep trying.

It is natural for recovering addicts to slip up and relapse. While it can be tempting to give up completely, don’t let one mistake lead you back to addiction. If you do relapse, get help immediately to keep problems from getting worse. Our intensive outpatient program in Gilman might be exactly what you need to get back on track.

If keeping your New Year’s resolution of sobriety is too much to handle on your own or you know someone who has a problem, it is okay to ask for help.

Take the first step to sobriety by calling us today at 888-280-4763. At Banyan Treatment Center Heartland, we want to help.

Sources:

1. – Most People Fail to Achieve Their New Year's Resolution. For Success, Choose a Word of the Year Instead