Getting Motivated to Stay Sober

All individuals who have been addicted to drugs or alcohol must face the unique circumstances that contributed to their previous destructive behavior. It has been shown that people need motivation to remove themselves from that situation. Those who must deal with recovery don’t get better overnight. They go on a journey that takes them back to a world of sobriety.

Motivation

Everyone needs to discover what will motivate them to escape a life of drugs and alcohol abuse. The goal is to find something that will help them remain moving in a positive direction. There are some common motivations people use to obtain their sobriety.

Family

Many people struggling with addiction are torn between their addiction and their family. Letting down those they love daily can drive some people even deeper into addiction. In many cases, a person will want to do right by those they love. This will motivate them to pursue sobriety and maintain it. Continuing sobriety brings relief to the addict as well as their family.

Faith

It is common for a person to embrace their sobriety as they discover their faith. They will often talk about not understanding their faith or turning their back on their belief system during their addiction. As they participate in recovery, these people will focus on stopping their addictive behavior. This is when they often discover a buried spark of faith. It will grow and then become a strong motivation for them to continue working toward recovery. Individuals with a belief system involving faith have hope for a future they know can happen. It provides them with a desire to persevere.

Career

To obtain a certain position in a career, it can take a long time and requires a significant amount of effort. It will involve dedication as well as years of hard work. With many people, the idea of losing all they have built during their career is often motivation enough to pursue sobriety. Individuals struggling with addiction understand the importance of keeping their job. When someone’s addiction is significantly impacting their ability to do their work, they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law makes it possible for an employee to obtain treatment and get sober before they are terminated from their position. A motivating factor in this situation is that a person will only be given one chance to change.

Friends

A person’s social circle can be very important to them. Should someone in recovery maintain a friendship with an addicted person, it could be challenging. An addicted person will act in ways that go against a healthy relationship. They may say hurtful things, make poor decisions or betray the friendship. A person who is involved in recovery will make amends to those they have hurt. This is part of them trying to reestablish themselves within their social circle. An important part of the recovery process is establishing new social bonds. Having positive friendships with sober friends can be a huge motivation.

Maintaining Motivation

There are certain things a person can do to maintain their motivation.

Set Achievable Goals – Setting both long-term as well as short-term goals provides motivation. The goals should be specific and measurable. Establishing checkpoints can keep a person on track.

Create Structure – It is common for people to be overwhelmed by the chaos and stress in their lives. Having a structured schedule consisting of daily activities that are healthy and positive will provide a sense of order.

Gratitude List – Many people see the value in always finding things to be grateful for and making a daily list of them.

Recovery Journal, Video, or Blog – People often become motivated by maintaining a journal of their feelings and thoughts. It is an excellent way to release things from their mind each day. Recording the growth and progress in their recovery is often inspirational. Some people share their entries with others who are struggling with their recovery.

Join The Recovery Community – Recovering addicts benefit from having a support system that is part of the recovery community. There are always traditional meetings available in local areas. Social media also provides a good way to meet others in the recovery community. Facebook has recovery groups. Online meetings are available that can provide interactive chat sessions. Doing this makes an addict realize they are not alone in their battle with addiction.

A person working toward sobriety will need to find their motivation to complete the process. It is a challenging time. When someone has the proper motivation, the chance of a successful recovery increases significantly. Are you ready to get started? Call us today at 123-456-7890. Our counselors are available to speak with you 24 hours a day. Call us now at 732-392-7311.

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