10 Top Tips on Recovery from Alcoholism – Part 2

Recovery from Alcoholism – Tip 5: Honesty
Rigorous honesty is absolutely essential to finding recovery from alcoholism.  Even though it may be painful or frightening to share honestly you are not likely to recover from alcoholism unless you honestly explore events from the past, your feelings, motivations and the consequences of your alcoholic behavior.
Sharing about your drinking and its consequences allows you to get a realistic understanding of your problem.  This in turn allows you to develop the coping skills and new behaviours required to change your life.
Recovery from Alcoholism – Tip 6: Relapse prevention
Alcoholism is a chronic, relapsing illness.  Many people fall back into active drinking.  While you’re in a rehabilitation centre you should make careful plans to ensure that you minimize the risk of relapse.  This involves identifying the triggers that lead to relapse and developing strategies to overcome them.  Your recovery from alcoholism is precious – make sure you protect it properly.
Recovery from Alcohol – Tip 7: Relationships
It’s expected and productive for you to learn to trust your peers and ask them for support.  Make sure that you spend time with all of the community and don’t isolate or spend too much time with one member.  Also make sure that you don’t form a romantic attachment to anybody in treatment.  These are all dangerous to your treatment program and could place your recovery from alcoholism in jeopardy.
Recovery from Alcoholism – Tip 8: Finishing treatment
Don’t leave treatment early.  The program is designed to be effective if it’s followed in its entirety.  People who discontinue treatment prematurely are not likely to find recovery from alcohol.  It’s like approaching a plumbing job without a full toolbox.  Show your commitment by running the course!
Recovery from Alcohol – Tip 9: Aftercare sessions
Aftercare sessions are special groups that are run for ex-patients at the rehab centre.  If your rehab centre offers such aftercare sessions then it’s important for your recovery from alcohol that you attend them regularly.  You’ll have the chance to discuss any problems you’re having in early recovery and receive advice on dealing with them.
You should also consider being admitted to a step-down facility such as a sober home, recovery or halfway house.
Recovery from Alcohol – Tip 10: Craving is not failure
If you crave alcohol while you’re in rehab then don’t see it as a failure.  Rather deal with craving constructively by sharing about it.  By talking openly about your craving you’ll discover that it goes away.  That might sound odd but the decision to share about craving represents a decision not to use alcohol.  If you want recovery from alcoholism pick up the phone before you pick up the drink.
If your life is out of control as a result of alcoholism then please don’t delay in calling one of our treatment coordinators for confidential and expert advice.
Part one of this recovery from alcoholism article is found here.