You need to make more efforts than you think to break your addiction of alcohol. Even if you spend a month at a rehab, only you can make efforts to lead a sober life. After you come back home, it may feel like you have arrived at the point right where you began. You must avoid the common mistakes recovering alcoholics often commit to avoid going off the track:
Expect Instant Results:
When you used to consume alcohol, you would feel instant gratification. However, now you might expect instant feeling of well being after you quit alcohol. However, this is not going to happen in a day. You might have to keep patience for at least a few weeks to see the best results. Once you stay focused on your recovery and have great diet, you will start feeling better.
Comparison with Others:
Even if we do not want to, we compare our worst habits with the best habits of others. You may witness someone with a better physique, more money, better looks, etc. However, you can only see in others what they want you to see. You are the only one who knows yourself inside out. Similarly, people endure many things in their life, but never want anyone to know. Therefore, it is better to understand that there are struggles in the life of every person despite what is visible to the naked eye and stop the comparison.
Be Obsessed with Future:
It is wise to be prepared for the future, but not to worry too much about it. During the phase of early recovery, you might feel anxious about your future, but you need to work towards your life goals and remain focused on the present. You can indulge in productive things that can improve your future such as learning a new language, musical instrument, swimming, etc. Doing such things will give you a feeling of accomplishment at the end of each day.
Over Commitment:
After you start feeling better because of the things you are doing to heal your life, you might make unrealistic commitments to yourself. Make realistic goals every week so that you can achieve them and feel victorious, not vice versa.
Hang Around with Old Friends:
When you have old friends around you, you cannot expect them to quit drinking just because you did. You were wide enough to take the hold of your life at the right time, but the time for them may not have come. Therefore, it is better to resist the temptation to hang around with your old friends and avoiding the triggers, particularly in the early stage of recovery. You can try to make new sober friends and trust yourself; it is easier than you think.
Think that you are Healed:
Being completely cured of alcohol addiction takes a lot of time, often years. Even if you had a period of being sober, do not be overconfident that you are now healed and therefore, you can consume alcohol in regulation. The sobriety is dependent only on your staying away from alcohol at heart. You must want to stay abstain from alcohol, not because someone told you to do so. This is the time, when you can say that you are half cured. You still have a long way to go.
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