Life After Cloud Nine

Often times what ends up happening when we receive alcohol addiction help, and get sober is everything seems to get better, there are moments of pure bliss, and everything seems great. It’s almost like were high on life. This is often referred to as a pink cloud. It’s that time in sobriety when the emotional fog from years of battling with our alcohol addiction has lifted and everything seems amazing. These times come and go throughout our sobriety.

Staying Realistic and Being Prepared in Sobriety

While it is a nice place to be in it is also important that we prepare for the times that don’t seem so perfect. The longer we stay sober the more those feelings of elation are replaced with more consistent feelings of joy, peace, and happiness. It may seem disappointing when those elevated moods drop and that pink cloud dissipates but the fact is that when that happens it is a perfect opportunity to begin really working on ourselves. It is through doing the work, and going through the addiction recovery process that we can begin to heal from our past as well as build a foundation on which we can have long term sobriety. Its one thing to stay sober through the good times but it’s another to do the work and stay sober through the more difficult times. The more we are in tune with our reality the better the chances are that we will stay sober. If we build a life we love and work towards being the type of person we want to be there will be no need for pink clouds because being present in the moment and truly will be much more gratifying.

Worrying About the Future in Sobriety

What will the weather look like in 5 years? What about the exact moment you will find your dream job? What happens if you end up not getting that job and all of a sudden you find yourself in a financial mishap? Future tripping is a tendency that the alcoholic has mastered. One thought turns into a whole script for our future that we have written in our heads that causes us to panic and live in fear. Combine that with high anxiety and a fear of failure and you have a recipe for disaster. The future is not something we can predict as much as we think we can. Through going to a 12 step recovery program we are given tools to help us stay present. Prayer and meditation are two big tools we learn through the 12 steps of recovery that can help keep us grounded. Sometimes just standing still, and asking yourself “am I present or am I living in the future?” can help us stay present in the moment.

 

Redirecting Focus

If you find that you are living in the future it can beneficial to redirect your focus to the present moment. If you are consciously reminding yourself what you are doing in the moment, you’re not worrying about the future. Another way to stay present is doing relaxing and meditating exercises like yoga. Movement and focusing on your breathing is not only a good way to exercise, but it’s also a way to get some serenity and stay grounded. The future hasn’t happened yet, and we can only control our present actions. Live in the moment, because in the future when we look back on our lives all we will have are the memories we are creating today.

How to Give Yourself the Best Chance at Sobriety

With the alarmingly high relapse rate amongst people that are trying to get clean on their own, those of us that suffer from drug or alcohol addiction can use all the help we can get. Here are a few suggestions that can give you the best chance at getting and staying sober.

Treatment 

 

There are many programs such as drug rehab that provide a safe and peaceful environment in which people that are battling with their addiction can go and be given the tools needed in order to achieve sobriety, and work on themselves. 

Attending 12 Step Meetings

 

In these meeting people who have addictions can share their experience, strength, and hope with each other so that others can see that it is possible to recover. It is a great opportunity to not only meet new people that are on the same path but to also share with others the struggles you might be going through and receive feedback.

Making Friends with People that are in Recovery

 

Meeting people that have gone through the addiction recovery process and socializing with them can be a good way to learn about ways other people have recovered along with reaffirming your decision to be sober. Many of us have remained friends with people that we used to hang out with prior to getting sober but it can also be nice to meet people that we can go to meetings, and do sober activities with. It can be difficult at times to go to clubs, concerts, or other events where there might be drinking. Through teaming up with other sober people to go to these types of places/events you will be able to relax, have fun, and get through the night sober.

Finding Work in Sobriety is Possible - How to Get Ahead

In this day and age it can be hard enough to find a job let alone admit we have a problem with alcohol addiction, decide to get sober, receive alcohol addiction help, and gain recovery from alcoholism on top of looking for employment. For many of us the search can seem exhausting. We can become easily discouraged when we don’t get an interview or a job offer. The fact is, now that we are sober we need to suit up and show up for life regardless of the outcome. We can do the things that we set out to do and reap the benefits. We never know what opportunities might present themselves if we are present and follow-through with the goals we make with ourselves and others.

One Day at a Time

It is understandable if you feel overwhelmed by the idea of having to go on a job search. We can take everything one day at a time and sometimes even one minute at a time. We don’t need to worry about the future. It can be easier for us in all areas of our recovery if we take everything step by step. If you are having a hard time writing a resume, cover letter, finding places, or with the interviewing process, just know that there are plenty of people in recovery that have gone through the same thing. Perhaps talking to people who have experience with the anxiety, difficulties, or fears of job hunting and asking them how they got through it can help. If we have people that are able to share their experience, strength, and hope then the idea of finding a job can begin to seem much more doable. Now go out there and start a path to your future!

Family Counseling and On-Going Support

Once we have received treatment for substance abuse and gone through the addiction recovery process some of us may need some extra support especially when it comes to repairing our relationships with our family. When we were out using many of us were wrapped up in our disease and suffered from the consequences of our actions. One of the biggest things that was destroyed for many of us was our relationships with family and friends. Most of us could not see past ourselves or our drug addiction. When we get sober we get the opportunity to repair these relationships and clean up the wreckage of our past. The hardest relationships to rebuild are usually with our family since they had seen it all. They not only had to put up with what we put them through but they also had to watch someone that they love very much go through hell. It can take time to rebuild the trust that has been lost over the years. Many of us had made empty promises time and time again and we have to earn that trust back. If there are still some things coming up for you or other family members that can’t seem to be worked out, then family counseling is a great option and a safe place to work through those struggles in order to have a happy and healthy relationship that works for everybody.  There is nothing like having family on your side to support you. It is possible to not only have a relationship with  the ones you love but it is also a chance to give back to the people that matter the most in your life.

Struggling in Sobriety - Don't Give Up

For most of us that suffer from drug addiction or alcoholism we are all too familiar with the idea of struggling. Whether it is struggling with figuring out how we are going to get sober, or how we are going to get our next fix most of us are used to having difficulty with living life on life’s terms. As alcoholics prior to receiving drug addiction treatment most of us are constantly seeking elevated moods through material things or relationships. Some of us are under the impression that when we get sober that we don’t have to struggle anymore. While this is true in the sense that we no longer have to fight an uphill battle with our chemical dependency it does not mean that life stops happening or that we no longer have responsibilities. It is easy to get stuck with the mindset that because we were “good”, did the right thing, and got sober that we now deserve a reward or that things should be easy from here on out. What we fail to recognize is that we didn’t get sober to get things, we got sober so that we could recover from our seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. It doesn’t necessarily matter what happens to us, it’s how we handle the situations that come up for us that help mold us into the people we are trying to become. It is our choice on how we cope with everything. As long as we are willing to do the work and stay sober we can be rest assured that we can overcome any hurdle with grace, dignity, & peace.

Learning to Let Go of Being in Control

Many of us even after going to alcohol and drug rehab still want to run the show. There is a part of us that have a hard time with surrender and giving up control; but if we hold on to the problem so tight and don’t let our higher power in then we are shutting ourselves off from other possibilities. We need to be able to see that we may not always know what is best for us and that there are an infinite number of solutions to every problem. If we have not come up with a solution to the problem then it is usually because there were not enough people involved. Through going to Above It All, AA, or other 12 step programs we can begin to let go of our black and white thinking and see that if we have faith and rely on a power greater than ourselves then things will work out fine even if we don’t know how. It only takes one thing changing to have an entirely different experience. Whatever the situation may be we can be sure that we can get through it sober. Many of us drank to escape. We don’t have to do that anymore. Instead, we can create a life we don’t want to escape from. We can build a life beyond our wildest dreams. We can sit through the discomfort that comes from uncertainty and we can learn to accept things as they come.

Dealing With Change and Loss in Sobriety

Just because we get sober and receive rehabilitation does not mean that everything is perfect. Life is still life. There are going to be ups and downs. Just like the good times pass so do the bad times. When we go to AboveItAllTreatment, AA, or alcohol centers we learn how to live life on life’s terms regardless of the situation. We get to learn how to stay sober no matter what. Alcoholics have a hard time when it comes to change or anything that brings up emotion for us. Losing a friendship, relationship, family, or job can all be things that we find unacceptable to us. These things that seem unfair are actually opportunities to grow and heal. Through the hard times we get to come out better people then we were before that experience. If we have faith that we will be okay no matter what, we will be able to hold our heads up, learn, and change. We get to strengthen our sobriety and learn how to handle situations that used to baffle us. We get the chance to learn that we don’t have to drink to start over and that feelings are not facts. Our feelings do not have to dictate our actions. We can act with dignity and grace regardless of how uncomfortable we feel. And we get to wake up and try to do a little bit better than we did the day before. All we can do is continue to try our best in any situation we encounter.