Community Add Ons

Healthy Habits to Help Manage Sobriety

55

Healthy Habits to Help Manage Sobriety

by: Michelle Peterson

michelle@recoverypride.org


One of the most effective and sustainable ways to encourage sobriety is by replacing bad habits with healthy ones. It may sound overly simplistic, and every person reacts differently in recovery, but by leaving less room in your life for the bad, there is only room for the good to thrive. There are countless numbers of positive activities that we could do, but many of us veer toward the easier path of quicker rewards. We drink because it makes us feel good, at least while we are drunk. We eat fast food rather than exercising because we’re tired and hungry, and we just want comfort.


We all know healthy habits are better than taking the easy road, but how do we make the successful leap to sustainable change? The answer requires an understanding of how habits develop and how we can control them with a little work.


Stages of a habit
Any habit, be it good or bad, follows three simple stages. These are the reminder, routine, and reward stages:


● Reminder. This stage is the cue for our habit. No matter what the habit, something triggers it to be reintroduced in our lives. This can include a morning alarm or walking past your favorite bar.
● Routine. This is the action that you take—the thing you do (e.g., putting on exercise clothes or stopping in for a drink).
● Reward. This is the benefit you get from the habit (e.g., a quick morning run with your dog or getting drunk and blowing off steam about your job).


The pattern is the same whether the end result is good or bad. Breaking a bad habit requires that we first understand these stages. A drink is not necessarily a bad thing, but needing one daily after work in order to deal with your job or marriage is most definitely not a good thing.


In order to break a bad routine, you have to identify alternatives when your cue arises. Can you relieve stress after work by having coffee with a friend? Will discussing your problems produce a solution better than drowning in them?


Breaking the Habit


Breaking a bad habit also requires committing to change and being persistent in your ability to reevaluate your habits and replacements down the road. You must also anticipate setbacks. Although the ideas are simple, human behavior and the reward system are complex. People have different needs that are deep rooted and can have numerous origins. There is no magic cure, but there is help in knowing your personal bad-habit stages.


For those struggling with sobriety, there may be a shortcut of sorts. If you identify a reward as getting drunk, for example, you may be able to find an activity that similarly rewards you while not being physically, mentally, and emotionally destructive. Exercise, for example, has been shown to produce euphoria and endorphins similar to that which results from getting high. In addition to working out, the following may be substitutes for intoxication:


● Yoga. This is also exercise, but the rewards include relaxation and mindfulness.
● Hobbies. Many addicts have found success in occupying themselves with a rewarding hobby in lieu of using substances. Hobbies are an important part of life in general, contributing to a more well-rounded life.
● Self-care. Attending to oneself through doing enjoyable activities aimed at increasing comfort can be a way to replace euphoria.
● Rest. Slowing down may be a path for a reward. Stress amplifies when we don’t get enough sleep, so slowing down and treating ourselves to a good night in bed may be better than any high. 

To maintain your sobriety, it’s crucial that you replace bad habits with healthy ones. Sobriety can thrive in healthy habits as long as we remember all stages of the habit cycle and ensure that we understand why we act habitually and what the consequences may be of our actions.


Photo Credit: Pixabay

by: Michelle Peterson

michelle@recoverypride.org

Make sure to click on links within post for more detailed information. They are NOT affiliate links but links to to reputable health sites with more detailed info on specific subjects.

 

249 Comments

  2. Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!

    Reply

  25. Hi there would you mind letting me know which webhost you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you recommend a good hosting provider at a honest price? Cheers, I appreciate it!

    Reply

  36. Nice weblog right here! Also your website quite a bit up fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate hyperlink for your host? I desire my website loaded up as fast as yours lol

    Reply

  41. Thanks a lot for sharing this with all folks you actually
    understand what you are talking approximately!
    Bookmarked. Kindly additionally consult with my website
    =). We can have a link alternate agreement between us

    Reply

  82. Hi, i think that i saw you visited my website so
    i got here to return the choose?.I am attempting to in finding issues to
    enhance my site!I suppose its good enough to make use
    of some of your concepts!!

    Reply

  83. Hiya! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your
    site mobile friendly? My blog looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4.
    I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to
    fix this problem. If you have any suggestions, please share.
    Cheers!

    Reply

  84. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself
    or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz respond as I’m looking
    to construct my own blog and would like to know where u got this from.
    kudos

    Reply

  109. Hey there! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to resolve this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thanks!

    Reply

  111. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and internet and this is actually frustrating. A good web site with exciting content, that is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.

    Reply

  127. Good ?V I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task..

    Reply

  137. I’m extremely impressed with your writing talents as well as with the structure in your weblog. Is this a paid subject matter or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days..

    Reply

  173. Taxi moto line
    128 Rue la Boétie
    75008 Paris
    +33 6 51 612 712  

    Taxi moto paris

    Hey there! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a
    quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your posts.
    Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics?
    Thank you!

    Reply

  249. Hello! I was able to have sworn I’ve gone to this blog before but after
    checking through a few of the post I realized it’s
    new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely glad I came across
    it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!

    Have a look at my blog post :: LewisZVolker

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Back to top button
Close
Close