Creating a Sober Life Plan For Lockdown

Overcoming addictions or staying sober in itself is quite challenging. Love and support of near and dear ones play a crucial role in becoming sober. Sharing experience, feelings, and thoughts with people going through the same phase have been found very helpful for individuals trying to become sober.

Lockdown has compelled many people to live an isolated life. Because of lockdown, connecting with like-minded people, as well as family and friends, is almost impossible. As a result, many people face lots of difficulty in leading a sober life during the lockdown.

Ongoing pandemic has created an environment of fear and panic among all of us. There has been an increase in the feeling of anxiety, confusion, stress, and disorientation among several individuals. Under such a situation controlling oneself to avoid that one pill or just one glass of alcohol is not that easy.

Uncertainty of future, fear of Covid-19, work, financial or relationship-related stress, etc. can act as an excellent reason to go for the bottle, have a peg, and just forget about the ongoing situation. Thus, if thoughts of starting drinking again keep on knocking your mind again and again, here are few tips that can help you stay sober and avoid substance abuse during this pandemic.

Tips on Staying Sober During Lockdown:

Exercise Daily

Lockdown has affected us in many ways. Most of us have become prisoners in our own houses. Under such conditions, sustaining sobriety has become quite challenging. Remember, it’s difficult but not impossible. There are several ways that can be very helpful in your recovery and stay active during Coronavirus. One of the most simple and easiest ways is to exercise daily. Regular exercise will help you in staying sober. It would also keep you fit and healthy.

Half an hour-an hour of daily exercise will keep you emotionally, physically, and emotionally fit and active. In addition to this, regular exercise also prevents stress, anxiety, and depression. Though the gyms are closed, you can do simple exercises in your home without the use of any equipment. You can get the information about the know-how of these exercises from the internet.

Also, at some places, exercise paths, parks, etc. are also open. Well, going to any public place during a pandemic is highly avoidable. But if you prefer doing exercise in a natural environment, take all the necessary precautions and don’t forget to maintain social distancing.

Mindfulness

One thing that has suffered a lot in this lockdown is our mental health. This pandemic has created an environment of boredom, loneliness, etc. Negative thoughts regarding our past a well as our future keep on crossing our minds. Under such conditions, staying sober is becoming very difficult for many recoveries.

If you are also facing the same issues, then practicing mindfulness can be your escape route. Mindfulness is all about ‘being present in the moment.’ It forms a connecting bridge among our body, mind, and soul. Mindfulness helps in keeping our mind calm and relaxed. A peaceful and relaxed mind generates positive thoughts. This would further help in maintaining positivity and would thus leave you feeling happy. The temptation to reach a bottle would be much less in people who are calmer, relaxed, and happy.

You can learn the technique of performing mindfulness by browsing the internet. Numerous mindfulness-based apps and websites are available on the internet to help you discover the mindfulness techniques and their importance.

Find a New Hobby

The availability of lots of idle time is another reason that is making staying sober life quite difficult. Is there any hobby that you wanted to learn but couldn’t time? You can use this lockdown as an opportunity to learn something new. A hobby can be baking, learning new dance forms, playing a new instrument, sketching, painting, etc. The list of hobbies that you can pursue by staying in the comfort of your house is endless. The best part is the easy accessibility of the internet has made learning new things much more comfortable. Browse the web, find a hobby that interests you, and start learning it.

Learning new things would keep your mind and hand busy. This would further help in keeping away the temptation of pouring a drink. As a result, you can continue living a sober life.

Learn How to Make Money From Home

Lockdown has compelled people to stay at their homes. As a result, many individuals have lost their jobs and other income resources. Reduction in income and an increase in the pile of bills can lead anyone towards alcohol. People who are newly sober or are on the path of recovery are finding overcoming financial stress and staying sober very challenging. Instead of giving up, try to convert this pandemic into an opportunity.

Look for ways to earn money while sitting at home. This can include finding freelance jobs, selling things made by you, etc. Several websites provide freelancing jobs under various categories like content creation, data entry, web designing, etc.

Become Involved in Online Recovery Communities

While transitional housing solutions such as halfway houses are a popular aftercare option, being a part of an online support group and attending support meetings can also provide strength to individuals to stay sober during these trying COVID-19 times. Some individuals are so used to these meetings that even the thought of missing them makes them anxious. In such cases, joining online recovery communities can be a perfect option. Using the web, you can talk to your fellow recovering group members and even conduct an online meeting session for the entire group.

Besides this, several forums and websites help drug addicts and alcoholics overcome their addiction and live a sober and healthy life. An online recovering community would keep you motivated to live a sober life and provide you support and strength to stay away from the addiction.

Schedule in Online Games and Activities

If you are neither working nor studying or are not involved in any other activities, it’s easy to get bored and unmotivated. Staying sober becomes much easier when your hands and brain are occupied. One of the easiest and fun ways to keep yourself busy is getting involved in some online activities or games. Many DIY videos are available on the internet. You can browse the internet based on your interest and start doing new activities.

Similarly, if you can select a game as per your interest, install it and start playing. This would not only keep you busy but would keep you excited and happy.

Practice and Rehearse Sober Success

Most of the addicts know what triggers them to drink. These triggers can be an event, a feeling or an emotion, a particular day or time, etc. Thus, if you are aware of your trigger, try finding a different approach, keep practicing until it becomes a part of your behavior.

If all else fails, seek treatment options that will minimize risks

If you absolutely cannot control your addiction, it may be a good idea to seek treatment options that both give you a high chance of recovery, as well as give you a low exposure to a possible COVID-19 infection. Consider a methadone clinic if you’re struggling with drug addiction. To minimize COVID-19 risks, look into outpatient drug rehab options instead of inpatient, so you can minimize the time spent at an addiction treatment facility.