Although you may have completed an alcohol or drug addiction treatment program, that does not mean that you are finished with your addiction recovery as well. Addiction cravings are an unfortunate reality when it comes to addiction recovery. However, there are some simple things that you can do to manage these cravings. Here are five ways to deal with alcohol or drug cravings in addiction recovery.
1. Have a Healthy Daily Routine
One of the biggest triggers for newly recovering addicts is boredom, and a great way to minimize boredom is having a healthy daily routine. The main point of addiction treatment is creating a better lifestyle. Having a daily routine promotes productivity and healthy living. Having a set time for eating and preparing all three meals, waking up, and going to bed is a great start to creating a daily routine that takes up all of your time. All you will need to do is fill up the rest of the available time with activities that you get to choose!
2. Keep Yourself Busy
As mentioned before, boredom is an extremely common addiction craving trigger. Having a daily routine is a great first step toward filling up your idle time, but you will need to come up with things to do during your free time. Luckily, the possibilities for these are endless. Addiction recovery is an excellent opportunity to start a new hobby or take up an old one that you have forgotten about again. You can also spend your time doing things such as reading, watching movies, and playing games. Exercising, taking a class, and spending time with close friends and family are great options as well.
3. Reach Out to Your Support System
Having a strong support system is essential during addiction recovery. Addiction cravings are not something that you need to, or should, keep to yourself. Confiding in those close to you with these experiences will help them to help you. This way they will have some insight into what your craving triggers are, what you are going through during your addiction recovery, and how you are doing. Going out to do things with friends and family in your support system is also great for making sure that you have a fun and positive experience. Having a strong support system reduces your chances for having a relapse.
4. Go do Something Fun
Going out to do fun activities with friends is a great way to distract yourself from addiction cravings as a recovering addict. However, there are many things to consider for this to be an all-around positive experience. The first thing to consider is the people that you will be around. As mentioned before, going out with those in your support system is a great way to make sure that you have a fun and safe outing. You should always avoid the people that encouraged or took part in your addiction habits.
The next thing to keep in mind is where you are going. It is suggested to avoid places like bars, nightclubs, and other places where alcohol consumption and drug use may be present. Going to places like movie theaters, restaurants, and museums are great ways to fully enjoy sober livingby having fun and avoiding addiction craving triggers. “Outings with fellow residents are an essential element of our sober program, and allow them to have sober fun while keeping their accountability”, says Mat Gorman, CEO at Eudaimonia Recovery Homes. Keeping all of these things in mind while planning these activities will ensure that you have fun while staying safe.
5. Exercise Regularly
Incorporating exercise into your daily routine is a great way to take up some of your free time while also living a healthy lifestyle. Having an exercise routine promotes the healthy release of essential hormones and endorphins naturally without the use of alcohol or drugs. This naturally reduces the intensity of withdrawal symptoms during an alcohol or drug detox. Improving withdrawal symptoms through exercise reduces addiction cravings by making alcohol or drug addiction recovery less uncomfortable. Your exercise routine can be personalized for your needs as well because different types of workouts have been shown to improve different withdrawal symptoms. There are also many low intensity workouts out there for those who are experiencing pain during a drug detox or have injuries.
Conclusion
Drug cravings are an unfortunate reality when it comes to alcohol and drug addiction treatment. However, there are many easy things that you can do to help reduce these cravings. Boredom is a major trigger for recovering addicts. Having a daily routine, keeping yourself busy, and going out to do activities are great and simple ways to curb this boredom though. Emotional stress can also be a trigger. This is why having a strong support system to turn to during rough times is so important. The final trigger mentioned in this list is withdrawal symptoms. Exercising has been proven to help reduce and maintain these symptoms while also giving you something to do.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
