“I once had an addiction; I don’t have it anymore.”
– Said a person destined for relapse

It can be tough for a person with a drug or alcohol addiction to come to the understanding that they are working with a chronic, lifelong illness. Getting rid of the disease of addiction is not really an option. It is now part of life. Yes, this is hard news.

However, living life in full recovery is possible. And it is so much better than giving in to the needs and destruction of addiction.

There are plenty of people who live with chronic diseases and manage them to full success for the rest of their lives. It takes work, intentionality, and the support of loved ones, but it happens every day for millions of people.

Light in the Tunnel

The good news is that with honest work and diligence, living in full addiction recovery can become a new normal life—a normal that is even better than the one tied to harmful (often illicit) substances. A person successfully managing an addiction and adhering to a healthy addiction recovery lifestyle will live a longer, healthier, more satisfying life. Not all diseases have that benefit.

There are lots of things that go into managing sobriety, but here are 10 ways to maintain an addiction recovery lifestyle of well-being for longer life and a solid recovery foundation.

1. 1. Care for Yourself

Caring for yourself in recovery is not a selfish thing—your life is on the line! You are your own best friend; you are your own best advocate. Make sure your recovery is your first priority. That way you will be a better friend/husband/wife/son/daughter/human being. As well, give yourself a little room. Be encouraging to yourself and have some grace for your journey. No journey is “right” and not all roads are straight. The destination of lasting recovery is what’s most important.

2. 2. Exercise

Healthy happy human beings exercise regularly. This is a simple part of living. So you can imagine the impact it has on a person managing an addiction. Getting up and moving around relieves stress, enhances moods, makes people look better, and gives more energy. Though exercise is massively important, don’t let this one overwhelm you. Set a schedule for movement, and start small. You don’t have to run a marathon tomorrow. Go take a walk. Maybe invest in a wearable device like a Fitbit to help with your motivation.

3. 3. Explore Your Hobbies and Passions

Addiction is well known as a condition that sucks your life away on multiple levels. One of its methods is to replace everything in your life that once brought you joy or satisfaction. A healthy addiction-recovery lifestyle includes returning to your interests in life or discovering new ones. Go grab a board game, put together a puzzle, start up some woodworking. Get back into your garden, photography, sports, quilting, or taxidermy. Whatever it is that floats your boat (or once floated your boat, which may include literally floating on a boat), start today. Here is a list to give you some ideas.

4. 4. Have Fun

On the other side of the passion coin is a zest for life. We are alive for more than simply working and muddling through our days. Another effect of addiction is its certainty to remove your desire to have fun without drugs or alcohol. The good news is that fun is still out there. And this time, you will be fully present for it. It’s time to have some sans-substance fun. You may have to experiment with this one, but get out there and try new things.

5. 5. Connect With Others

Part of that having fun aspect of a healthy addiction recovery lifestyle is doing it with others. It’s time to stay in touch with your healthy, sober-encouraging friends and family. As well, get connected to a recovery group and reap the benefits of community. Plus, remember your newfound fun or hobby? Find a Facebook group or local meetup that connects people with similar interests, and start joining life.

6. 6. Eat Well

Healthy eating in recovery is essential. Good nutrients give the body healthy energy, help build and repair vital organ tissue, and strengthen the immune system. Not only that but eating well helps people look, feel, and act better. Here is more info on good eating for a healthy addiction recovery lifestyle.

7. 7. Get Your Sleep

Getting into a healthy sleep routine has more benefits than many people realize. Just look at some of the benefits:

• Better memory
• Longer life
• Healing damaged cells
• Boost to the immune system
• Recovering from the day
• Repairing your heart and blood vessels
• Among many others

Here are some more thoughts on good sleep hygiene.

8. 8. Soul Work

If you are religious, it’s time to rediscover some faith in your life. If you are not, it’s time to connect with the deeper parts of yourself that make life worth living. Now is a good time to give your church or temple a try or get out in nature and connect with the beauty of the world. It is also a good time to try out meditation. At SoCal Detox we teach mindfulness for addiction recovery and find it a powerful tool for anyone living a healthy addiction recovery lifestyle. Here is a video teaching some of the benefits and here is one that will walk you through a quick 2-minute example meditation.

9. 9. Help Others

For many people, helping others is soul work. And that is appropriate, but it also deserves its own spot on this list. Helping others is one of those what-life-is-for categories of wellness that will make all the difference in your overall well-being and recovery journey. Get involved in a charity, become a sponsor in a recovery group, volunteer in your community, or take out the trash for you elderly neighbor. It doesn’t matter what you do, but giving yourself in service to others makes a difference in the world and in your own life. Make this a priority in your addiction recovery lifestyle.

10. 10. Stick to Your Program

No matter how healthy you are your recovery program is vital. You can do all of the other things on this list and still lose yourself to an addiction. However, if you keep your priorities straight and continue with intentional addiction aftercare, you will be able to live life in wellness and health—and most importantly, substance free.

Help Needed

As important as this list is for healthy recovery, before you get to a place of lasting health, you have to get free from the acute grasp of addiction. This is where SoCal Detox comes in. Our addiction professionals will walk with you or your loved one from the very first phone call to a supervised, comfortable detox to finding the best long-term recovery program you need. If you need help, please call us today: 888-590-0777.