10 Tips On Changing Your Life To Support Recovery From Addiction

Finding Recovery Means Making a Change

Addiction is difficult for many reasons. The way it rewires the brain can make it hard for someone who is addicted to even realize it at first.

“Growing up I thought this was normal,” Patti said during her True Stories of Addiction.

Then, once they realize there is a problem most people have no clue how to fix it. Either they are completely overwhelmed by it, or don’t think it is bad enough for them to need to seek out professional help.

10 Essential Tips to Changing Your Life To Support Recovery

  1. Identify Your Personal Triggers: A big part of preventing relapse is understanding your external triggers (people, places, things, and situations that elicit thoughts or cravings associated with substance use) as well as your internal triggers (feelings, thoughts, or emotions associated with substance abuse). Once you identify your biggest risks, you can create a plan to prepare for or avoid them.
  2. If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living. You need to change in order to grow. You can’t grow if you just stay where you are. You can’t grow if you don’t change the way you think and act. In fact, changing your life is a continuous process. It never ends. The moment you stop changing, you stop growing.
  3. Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
  4. Accept responsibility. We immediately become more effective when we decide to change ourselves rather than asking things to change for us.
  5. Have an open mindset. Not being open to recovery and making lifestyle changes can be extremely harmful to your recovery. It leaves you vulnerable to relapsing and falling back into substance abuse.
  6. Don’t be afraid to make a change. Not being open to recovery and making lifestyle changes can be extremely harmful to your recovery. It leaves you vulnerable to relapsing and falling back into substance abuse.
  7. Change Your Environment – Hanging out in the same old places can be environmental triggers and even cause relapse. If there are triggers in your home in may be time to help you move to safety.
  8. Change Your Activities –Any recreational or even work activities that put you at risk need to be removed from your life. Nothing is more important than your recovery.
  9. Change Your People – Friends, family or groups who drink, abuse drugs, or engage in activities that are triggers for you, need to be avoided especially for those in early recovery. Find new and sober people in support groups and meetings.
  10. Get amped up about something new: It can be an upcoming trip, a new pet, a life-changing book or even a cooking class.

“I knew that I had a problem but I didn’t know how to go about it,” Michael B said.

Another common thread a lot of our True Stories of Addictions touched base on is the feeling that they had that they weren’t deserving of help. Due to their addiction, that didn’t care much for their own well-beings.

“I didn’t have any emotions,” Aline said.

Michael B shared that same sentiment, saying that in his addiction he didn’t care about himself or anyone else, he just wasn’t capable at the time.

Out of Control

Everyone hits that point when that realize that their addiction is out of control, that’s normally right around the same time that they decide to make a change.

“It became unmanageable,” Brett said.

One it gets to that point it is usually accompanied by a lot of negative consequences such as Connor stealing and going to jail, or Michael B’s car accident.

When you hit that moment, it might not feel like a good thing. It might feel like your whole world is burning down. But out of the ashes will come something beautiful.

Recovery

Aline said it perfectly, “When life becomes uncomfortable, it’s time to grow and change.”

Finding recovery is a beautiful thing, and it often comes after a period of utter chaos and ugliness. But when you put in the effort you can see your life starting to change, mend, and become something that you want it to be.

“It’s a life that comes about because of positive action,” Connor said.

63 comments
  1. I see change almost all the tips. Accepting change and responsibility helps life after drugs. Though it wont be easy but it worth the sacrifice.

  2. A life after drugs might not just be glorious at the time but keeping positive at it will help. The first thing is killing the triggers. Then stay away from such places

  3. The truth is that there’s always a better life after addiction. This should make the addicted to learn to recover quickly and get self back into the society. They can blend again.

  4. Just like any ordeal what matters is the life after drugs. As it will be the true test of ones character as temptation sets in more at this stage. With that said this is where the support system comes in. As they may break or make a person. Nobody can do this alone.

  5. Let be sincere here, life after addiction isn’t easy especially when neighbours knows about ones addictions. We communities need support this people as well, it never easy.

  6. I think that people who got into drugs see life after addiction as a second chance, it´s like being dead and go back to life one more time, it must be a very particular way to see life.

    1. The 10 tips to overcome addiction are the best ways. The addicts are advised to explore them. Surely, they will have new experience. Thank you.

  7. These are great tips in finding life after addiction. Knowing what makes you vulnerable and finding new, healthy activities are great ways to achieve personal growth and self-confidence. Thank you for sharing these fundamental steps.

  8. The true life after addiction should be taking paramount. How i see my life in recovery should be the vision. Thanks for sharing.

  9. Although many addicts may oppose it, a life changing rehab remains their best shot at recovery. Thanks for always sharing these real life stories.

  10. The best thing an addict can do is to check themselves into a life changing center. The help they can get is indeed life changing.

  11. These ten tips are vital for anyone looking for a better life after drugs. I couldn’t thank you enough for sharing them.

  12. Life after addiction can be considered as the awakening of the seguera that a person has due to the use of drugs, and it is a life opportunity that God gives us because in this world evil rules and we are exposed to it.

  13. I always feel inspired when I read stories on life after addiction. It is good to know that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

  14. A life changing rehab is the absolute best remedy for a hopeless addict. Thanks for spreading the good message on the importance of rehabilitation.

  15. It goes without say that a rehab is a life changing center. Addicts go in ruined and hopeless and come out with a will to live a better life!

  16. I have known a few people that were not able to cope with life after addiction and they relapsed. I wonder how such people can be helped.

  17. I’m always happy seeing people recover from addiction. I’ve shared these articles with a lot of people who are addicted to alcohol.

  18. Aline has said it all. These ten tips are proven to be effective. Solutions are embedded in those tips

  19. These are very great hints. Many lives will be blessed through this article. I’m glad reading this piece. Thank you

  20. This article is highly informative and educative about life-changing steps to be taken as a recovery method. Anyone who truly wants to change should key into the ten tips.

  21. Undoubtedly, these ten tips are useful for
    life transformation. However, with determination and hard work, life can be positively transformed. Thanks to Detox for this educative piece of information.

  22. The ten tips are on point. Truthfully if you do not change you wouldn’t grow so it is always good to make efforts and changes will come

  23. Doing something meaningful after recovery from addiction takes a lot of strength, willpower and determination. So, it may not be easier, that is why we have professionals to help and guide one.

  24. I have read through and I’ll say this is exactly what is needed to see one through times like this. Each tip is very important and has role to play.

  25. The truth is that it’s easy to get addicted but getting out of it is hard. I have seen a lot of people that relapse after seeking help…when you are addicted, you wouldn’t care about yourself or anyone else..I hope this tips will help people easily change their lives to support recovery… nothing good comes easy but they have got to be willing to try

  26. Life after drugs will not be easy at first, but with more perseverance and patience one can overcome addiction. The beautiful piece will be of help to those who are into it.

  27. This is a very nice piece on addiction recovery. The steps highlighted are possible ways to come out of addiction. All that is required is to put it in practice.

  28. The steps highlighted are possible ways to come out of addiction. All that is required is to put it in practice.

  29. These are viable steps to take to overcome addiction. It’s better to change your environment and people around you if you want change.

  30. These 10 tips will bring the desired change that one wants. They are massive solution plans.
    These words hit me: “you can’t grow if you remain where you are, you can’t grow if you don’t change how you think and act”.

  31. Addictive lifestyle is not easy to overcome because it has a great risk in it. When reborn a new it good.

  32. Going through addiction is not easy. It takes courage and commitment to follow these steps and make it work to achieve recovery..

  33. Addictive life isn’t good. But a life after it is been enjoyed because he or she is free of any kind of risk.

  34. Addicts should be taught or made to follow this tips and know it by heart. This will help in the process of recovery.

  35. To change is to grow. This means that without changes, recovery may not occur. Thanks for this piece of article.

  36. I loved reading this article in the way it is arranged and the tips are given are very valid, enjoyed reading this article.

  37. We need to change in order to grow. I have read the piece and it has made me think a lot about my life. Not that I am addicted, but I have stagnated at the same place for years. I need to change for my growth.

  38. Rehab has helped a lot of People get back on their Feet and Aim for their Dreams in Life.
    Detox is Doing a Great work!

  39. The ten essential tips to changing life to support recovery are very helpful information. This tips are not only for people who’s dealing with drug addiction but also to people having depression or having problems in life. When I read it, it reminds me to be not to be afraid to change to make you better. Thanks for this wonderful tips.

  40. I love the tips on changing life to support recovery they really look like if applied correctly they can work for the better. I specifically approved the point changing your friends or social circle if its toxic to you, nice article.

  41. When someone is addicted to substance, it could really take the grace for them to withdraw from that addiction. But when they finally do recover from addiction some relapse while others don’t ever go back.

  42. Accepting responsibility is integral to any successful recovery journey. I am more than thankful that you shared this.

  43. What it truly takes to recover is a strong will to. Once you have that everything else will fall into place.

  44. I like that you mentioned the fact that one should change their environment. That usually helps a great deal.

  45. The best part about recovery is the feeling of accomplishment that comes thereafter. I think it’s totally worth it to pursue recovery.

  46. These tips or a combination of them are sure to help anyone struggling with addiction. Thanks for making such a comprehensive and helpful list.

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