There’s no feeling that’s as sweet as a full recovery from addiction and enjoying a free and full life. Having faced substance use in your past may even give you a greater appreciation for the joys of daily life because you understand how differently your life could be.

Fostering this unique perspective is one way to enrich your life after treatment, and there are numerous additional ways to make your life the best it can be post-rehab. If you’ve overcome early recovery, completed the bulk of your recovery program and are looking to remake your life, here’s how to live a better life after treatment.

Life after treatment

Life after treatment is a major milestone worthy of applause. While it’s a feat you should celebrate, it can also come with mixed emotions. You may feel dread about re-entering society without the level of support you’ve had or feelings of embarrassment as you engage with old acquaintances. It’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions, including happiness, isolation, nervousness, scared or relaxation.

All of your experiences are valid, and feeling so strongly about life again is actually one of the perks of life after treatment. You’ll find you experience richer positive emotions, less frequent negative emotions and fewer drastic changes in emotions when you’re sober. It’s all part of life after treatment, and it may take some getting used to.

Challenges in recovery from addiction

Moving on from formal treatment into continuing care services, while greatly increasing your independence, also has challenges. It’s important to keep in mind that addictive behaviors can always be re-triggered, even if you’ve had success in treatment up until now. 

Maintenance work is essential in life after treatment, and you’ll find that continuously working on your recovery offers you the best security for the long term.

The perks of life after treatment

Life after treatment can bring a host of emotions, challenges here and there and benefits you couldn’t imagine before. Once you’ve left detox, residential treatment and the most difficult days of resisting relapse behind you, you’ll find there are plenty of reasons to stay sober.

• Better health: your body will feel at its best a few months after your last use when all of the toxins from drugs have been expelled from your body
• More energy: you won’t feel the fatigue you did in between a high and a withdrawal, and you’ll have more mental energy to direct toward things that matter
• Less stress: you’ll have less weight on your shoulders when you’re not trying to balance normal life with addiction and all its side effects
• Better relationships: you’ll find it’s easier to mend and maintain relationships with family and friends sober
• Financial stability: without the high cost of drugs and related expenses, it will be easier to hold a job and stick to a budget so you can use your money in ways that matter to you

The list of benefits of sobriety is potentially endless.

How to live a better life

If you’re in the later stages of recovery and wondering how to live a better life, the truth is that you’ve already found the answer: recovery. The very best thing you can do to ensure your health and happiness is by investing the best of your energy into recovery. Sobriety, and building a lifestyle that supports sobriety, should always be your main priority.

If you’ve reached the stage where you’re able to manage daily triggers and feel in control of the most important aspects of your life, there are ways you can start enriching your daily life. Living life to the fullest is all about making your day-to-day habits matter.

Practices to live a better life

If you’re looking for practical tips for how to live a better life, here are some concrete activities you can do to enrich your life post-treatment.

Exercise

Daily movement is not only good for your body, but it’s also good for your mind. Working out boosts endorphins, giving you a healthy, natural sense of pleasure. It can boost your mood, prevent diseases and undo the damaging effects of addiction.

Eating well

Enjoy eating to the fullest when you’re sober. Develop new skills by learning how to cook or bake, nourish your body with foods you enjoy and build a community around meal times.

Mindfulness

Practice mindfulness with meditation, prayer, yoga, nature therapy and so forth. The more you can engage with the present moment, the more peace you’ll find in everyday living.

Giving back

Volunteering, donating or serving those around you can heal wounds from your past and make you feel more comfortable with who you are. Finding a weekly or monthly outlet for serving others is a beautiful way to engage with the world around you.

Regular sleep

Consistent and high-quality sleep is one of the easiest, most enjoyable and most beneficial practices to live a better life. Consistently getting between seven to nine hours, and maintaining a regular bedtime is key to reaping the rewards of your rest time.

Self-care

While self-care practices normally carry a tone of indulgence, self-care is hard work. These are the practices to live a better life that involves some effort, but offer plenty of perks in return. Self-care can include anything from meal planning to cold showers, reading a novel to a visit to the doctor. 

Continuing care

Reinforcing your recovery can make you feel like you’re finally ahead of the curve and in control of your life. Ensure your long-term sobriety by staying connected to treatment, working with a mentor, attending 12 steps meetings and using the above practices to live a better life.

Silvermist recognizes the importance of aftercare and encourages our clients to find pursuits that they are passionate about to fill their time and enrich their lives in recovery after addiction. You can find more details about our aftercare planning process here.Make recovery your own by calling Silvermist Recovery or filling out an online contact form.