Once you’ve completed drug and alcohol rehab, you’ll need to face a much more significant challenge of figuring out what to do next. Without a strategy, you may find yourself unsure of how to resume daily life. Creating a comprehensive recovery plan can set you up for success in your goal of pursuing long-term sobriety. Here’s how to do it.

1. Develop a Routine

Structure is a benefit of addiction treatment that will serve you well, but once you exit rehab, you may find that sorely lacking. You’ll need to find a way to fill the hours you used to spend drinking or using, which will help you avoid the relapse trigger of boredom and bring more balance to your life. By consciously scheduling every day in recovery, you can develop the habits you need to reinforce what you learned in your addiction treatment program, and also avoid having large spaces of free time that might tempt you to fall back into your old, unhealthy routines. Having a routine doesn’t mean you must account for every moment of your day, but it does involve having designated times for getting up and going to bed, eating meals, exercising, participating in your recovery group and spending time with family and friends. Carving out time for the activities that put you in a good mood can keep your recovery goals within reach and make your challenges seem more surmountable.

2. Know Your Triggers

Triggers can serve as a trap for the unwary person in recovery. Even if you’re careful, they can arise without warning and disrupt your day. You should prioritize identifying your triggers and planning for what you’ll do when you encounter one. For example, you can counteract stress with healthy habits like meditation and yoga. If specific situations are triggering for you, work with your therapist to figure out why, and how you can avoid them.

3. Have Sober Supporters

Abundant recovery support groups exist to help you reach your goals, including 12-step programs and other forms of group therapy. You can attend sessions as often as you feel you need to. You may also be fortunate enough to find a recovery sponsor who can help you stay on track. Don’t overlook the role of your family and friends, either. They can be instrumental in helping you remember why you are pursuing recovery and what you need to do to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

4. Be Patient

An addiction recovery program is not an overnight solution to your problems, nor is it a cure for your illness. It is merely the first step in the lifelong process of staying clean and sober. There are no shortcuts in healing from an addiction, and that’s not a bad thing. Instead of getting frustrated on days that aren’t going well, think about everything you’ve achieved and how much you have to be thankful for.

5. Find a Sober Living Environment

Before jumping back into your typical daily routine, you may find it beneficial to find an environment that offers the discipline and structure you need to transition between addiction treatment and the “real world.” That’s what Segue Recovery Support offers with our three levels of sober housing. If you need a stepping stone between inpatient rehab and the outside world, contact us today to learn more about adding a sober living facility to your continuum of care.