You have taken the first step to live a life of Sobriety and are now wondering how you will manage to keep your goals. One of the best ways to achieve your resolutions is by joining a Support Group: a gathering of people interested in the same health conditions as you are. They are interested in how to get the best information to afford you the life of Sobriety that you also want.
Members of the group do their best to learn about the chemical dependency issues that they are concerned about and share their experiences. They give invaluable assistance to someone who is only recently living a sober life. Let us look at some of their advantages.
Inform and educate you about your rehabilitation
Many meetings will invite professionals to give talks about your addiction, available treatments and physicians. You will have a ready pool of people with relevant knowledge about your milestones and the challenges you may face. They will answer your questions and explain things to you so that you can dispel your fears. Having accurate information is a powerful tool for you to take the right choices.
Provide an outlet to discuss difficulties
When you have decided to change your lifestyle, you will find that it is not that easy to break the habits that have formed your existence up until now. You will have to guard yourself against falling back into the patterns that will make you vulnerable to your addiction. It is a relief to have people that are in your corner and will listen to your struggles. Some members may know similar difficulties and will offer suggestions that will help you keep your conviction.
Most important of all is that you get to share your difficulties, and in this way, a problem shared is a problem halved. The pressure you feel will lighten up, and you can muster your efforts to continue with clear choices.
Provide you with positive influences
The period of early sobriety can leave someone feeling vulnerable and confused. You will need to have healthy people surrounding you so that you are always getting positive reassurances. Every time you mingle with healthy individuals, you will see and hear how to make the right decisions for yourself so that your life remains wholesome.
Constructive associations will always lead to positive peer pressure. The road to Recovery will have the typical twists and turns that you can expect in life, and a bunch of new experiences if you have no previous understanding of how to live clean. You will learn better and faster when you are in the presence of good influences.
Eliminate the fear of judgment
All too often, people feel that the world is judging them when they share their feelings. We live in a world where society is quick to point out differences and, sometimes, even make fun of them. Having a group of people who are propping you up will let you make progress because they will not judge nor mock your sentiments. You can be yourself and share your feelings honestly without worry. When you eliminate fear, your psyche will have more energy to improve and maintain an abstinent life.
Get tips to control anxiety
Anxiety can be a debilitating condition to suffer. It will make you panic and may cause you to have irrational behavior. The hormone cortisol is responsible for making you freak out. You need to get a handle on it so that anxiety does not cripple your life. Some of the group members could be social workers and therapists who will help add to your arsenal of tools for coping with stress, anxiety, and depression.
If you need more focused attention, the participants will give you tips that they are familiar with, or contacts for other experts who trained to help you. The action could be as simple as meditating and drinking warm milk, or, a course of medication that will act to balance your hormones from firing off extreme nervousness and hopelessness.
Give you back the control of your life in your hands
When you are an addict, your life is spiraling out of control due to your dependency. You have little control about the choices you make because you must feed the desperate cravings of your body and mind. Your associates will give you the strength, encouragement, and determination to take charge of your life.
Final Thoughts
Living a sober life is not as easy as one would hope, especially if you are recuperating from addiction. You will need to work with your physician, therapists and a set of individuals who you can lean on. Having a team that is cheering you on, scolding you if necessary, but always willing to assist you, will help you on the journey to living a fulfilling life. Contact us today at Rise in Malibu if you or a loved one are struggling with addiction.
