Hey everyone, I’m looking for advice on how to stay sober. I’m going into rehab and need advice on how to avoid temptation when I come out.
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Hi Kenny, first of all, good move thumbs up! I haven’t been into rehab facility but from what I read and listened to various podcasts on this topic there’s a kind of a challenge with coming back to place connected to your active addiction. I don’t believe though an environment you live in is a cause of your addiction or can be a trigger for relapse (except of people who are not supporting you). It’s all in your head at the end of a day. What helped me most recently is a book by Allen Carr’s Quit Drinking. With me, problem was my willpower to stop drinking. When I stopped, it last for 55 days or so max. Allen’s concept of addiction and reason why we relapse opened my eyes and I understood the whole thing is just an illusion and trap alcohol (or any kind of substance) puts us into. We addicts are no longer drinking to feel pleasure and satisfacation, we’re drinking to feed this little withdrawal monster we created over the time of active addiction. There’s more to it. Anyways, work on your recovery, it’s truly about the work you put in, have a reasonable and measurable plan - that’s extremely important - , be physically active, listen to podcasts, come here - read, share your thoughts…you can do it, just need to change mindset and approach on how you view alcohol and what actually brings you, provides you in reality.
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Structure and routine. Avoid people,places, and triggers which make you want to use. Take all the advice you hear in treatment. Be curious. Embrace the suck. To name a few 
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Check out some sober living places. And do 90 in 90.
Go to as many meetings as possible.
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Ameeting might help helped me stay sober for a while now wish you well
Plan to go to a AA meeting the first day you are out. Go to the aftercare. Do something, counseling, aftercare or AA every day, every single day when you come home, for at least 3 times as long as the rehab stay. Rehab gets you separated from alcohol and gives you basic knowledge on the roots of your alcoholism, and a jump start on sobriety. It is not a one and done - go to rehab and never drink again thing. Build and grow your sobriety starting your first day in rehab and keep it going from there.
And good for you for going to rehab in the first place, and for reaching out here. Blessings on your house as you begin your journey.
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Great job taking the first step! You know, early on I heard people tell me I must put my sobriety before everything. And I was like NAH I can do this and I could do that, but they were right.
Even little things like chores, it is far more important for you to stay sober than to do any of that. And even if you take care of things you were supposed to do and relapse, those things won’t matter anyway. Just to give you an example,cutting the grass was actually a big drinking thing for me. And when I explained it in a meeting, someone said just let the grass grow who cares. And it’s true. One thing that helps is do a lot of things you need to do early in the morning. Have a fresh cup of coffee you feel good and get a bunch of things done. But if staying sober means you just curl up in the bed and watch television, go ahead! In the long run, you’ll be better off. And rest assured , overtime, you’ll be able to do all of those things that you wanted to do sober. But it does take time, best wishes and keep us posted. We’re pulling for you!
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