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Staying sober during coronavirus outbreak is easy if you follow suggestions and use the tools given to you during recovery. This pandemic is changing the way the world is living their daily lives and fear is running wild within everyone.
How to stay sober
There is no doubt that these are troublesome times and your sobriety may be hanging in peril. This is why your sobriety must come above anything else – including the coronavirus. There will be many triggers at present but with the following tips, sobriety is possible:
Online Meetings
Due to social isolation, you may not be able to attend support groups which are an integral part of reducing relapses. Thankfully, we live in a world that connects us through technology. Platforms such as Facebook, Skype, and online meetings are available for recovery support. The worst trigger right now for those in recovery is isolation. In recovery, we are taught that loneliness is a trigger.
Avoid Complacency
Remember, it is never a good idea to justify avoiding recovering. There are ways to continue and if you can be as resourceful in recovery as you were in getting high, then you will find a way to avoid complacency. Continue with your step work, call your mentor or therapist. The fact is that long after this pandemic is over, you are still an addict in recovery.
Do not panic
The whole world is anxious. There are so much news and information going around about the coronavirus on the media and its difficult not to be on high alert. This may be a trigger for many whose biggest relapse trigger is anxiety. Do not obsess about the coronavirus. Switch off your computer, television, and phone for a few hours and focus on positive things. Write down a gratitude list. Create something if you are creative. Read a good book or watch your favorite television series. It all starts with what we are feeding our souls with. We can choose to feed it negativity or we can feed it positivity. This may sound cliché, but it is a reality in times like these.
Keep yourself busy
In recovery, we cannot get bored. Boredom is a big trigger for relapse. It is important to keep yourself busy right now if you are in isolation. Clean the house, read, exercise or learn something new. Whatever it is, do what you can to prevent feelings of drug or alcohol abuse. Staying sober during coronavirus outbreak is your responsibility and could mean the difference between life or death. Addiction is a disease and should be treated as such.
Stay safe and keep up your sobriety. For more information about relapse prevention, contact Trish at ARCA rehab.
