Alcohol detox is an extremely positive change in someone’s life, but it’s not a complete end to alcohol dependency. Various circumstances can tip someone back towards the bottle—including traumatic experiences, daily stresses, and physical illnesses. Whenever someone completes their alcohol detox, they need to answer this question: what happens after the alcohol detox?
They might enjoy a life of sobriety, or they might end up back on the bottle. It can be a treacherous, life-defining period.
Nevertheless, here are some crucial tips for staying sober after the crucial alcohol detox:
Undergo Treatment Programs
Alcohol dependency doesn’t go away easily. In many cases, it requires extensive treatment, constant attention, care, and monitoring. However, here’s the great news: There are many treatment programs with effective and healthy methods for people after quitting the bottle.
Different people react differently to different methods, and there’s no magic bullet for kicking a habit. That’s why treatment programs are great. They can cater to the individual needs of someone after alcohol detox, regardless of their requirements.
Treatment programs can vary between staying in rehab centers, plotting out healthy lifestyle choices with professional guidance, and spending hours with a therapist during their free time. A treatment center can assess their needs and determine the best option for them after alcohol detox.
Use Peer Support
One of the most important ways to stay away from booze during alcohol detox is through superb peer support. Unfortunately, many people battling alcohol dependency often think people don’t understand their problems. As a result, they don’t speak out and struggle to find support.
That’s where peer support can help. It gives the person the chance to talk to people battling alcohol dependency—which reduces feelings of loneliness and helplessness.
Furthermore, they can find inspiration from listening to other people who’ve successfully stayed sober, and peer support sessions enable people to vent frustrations and emotions with people who truly understand.
Find Behavioral Therapy
In most cases, someone’s behavioral responses to situations in life can determine whether someone becomes addicted to alcohol. These responses can date back to childhood traumas, and people find them challenging to change. Nevertheless, that’s where behavioral therapy can help.
By looking at how people think and behave toward certain things in life, behavioral therapy can determine what exactly leads to drinking. Therefore, people will know how to overcome the temptation of drinking alcohol during their detox because they understand their triggers and how to behave when faced with them.
Build a Sober Lifestyle
One of the key ways to remain sober during alcohol detox is by creating better lifestyle choices. For example, it’s much harder to stay away from alcohol—especially after alcohol detox—if they’re around people who drink constantly and try to tempt them into drinking. Depending on whom someone surrounds themselves with after an alcohol detox, the stronger or weaker their chances are of staying sober.
In addition, someone may need to stay away from certain locations after the detox period. For example, if they routinely socialize in places that serve alcohol—such as a pub—they’re more likely to feel the temptation of a drink. Removing prior bad habits and making wise lifestyle choices are crucial.
Don’t Isolate
The thought of isolation might tempt some people into avoiding all forms of social contact after an alcohol detox. Some people may even argue becoming a hermit is a wise idea. But here’s the problem: Social isolation often creates anxiety and depression, resulting in a return to alcohol.
Instead of isolating themselves from society, people should look for safe spaces after their alcohol detox. That could mean visiting sports events, art shows, fitness expos, or hiking with friends and family. If there’s no drink involved, it’s always a good idea to consider attending after the alcohol detox phase.
Create a Sober Mentality
A sober mentality is crucial to overcoming temptations during alcohol detox, and this comes when they know how bad the situation was when they were drinking. For example, they should know the things they said, the people they hurt, and the lives they impacted during their drinking days.
Although this may feel like they’re opening old, painful wounds—it creates a sober mentality. The greater the appreciation of how bad things were, the more drive they’ll have to maintain a positive, alcohol-free life.
Continue The Recovery Journey
The recovery journey hasn’t ended during an alcohol detox. For many people, it’s only just starting. But that doesn’t mean there are uphill challenges ahead. With the right treatment options, staying sober during alcohol detox is far more simple.
At StillDetox, we have treatment programs for anyone overcoming alcohol dependency. With a huge team of world-class experts, we can help people with any behavioral health issues and build a new mind, body, and spirit.