Addiction is a chronic illness that can ruin a person’s mental and physical health. It is a grave problem in different countries and costs them a lot in healthcare, lost productivity, and criminal justice. Therefore, people are encouraged to treat addiction for their own good and for the betterment of the country’s economy.

Quitting drinking and drugs is a crucial decision you need to take, but it can be challenging. You can experience withdrawal symptoms when you lessen consumption or quit drugs and drinking. Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe and include restlessness, muscle pain, mood swings, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Moreover, withdrawal symptoms can push you towards addiction again. Therefore, adopting a healthy lifestyle after quitting is crucial to avoid relapse. However, you can only manage initial levels of addiction by adopting a healthy lifestyle, and even that requires significant effort and support.

Another option to treat addiction is to check into an addiction rehab facility. Rehabilitation centers have professional addiction counselors, experienced doctors, and competent healthcare teams that can help you manage your withdrawal symptoms. They treat your addiction and help you transition to a healthy lifestyle to avoid relapse. Several rehabilitation facilities are present across the US. The Delphi Health Group has numerous rehab facilities that offer individualized treatment for all levels of addiction. Whether you get treated at a rehabilitation center or quit

on your own, adopting a healthy lifestyle can help you feel better and reduce the chances of a relapse.

In this article, we are going to discuss some ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle after quitting drinking and drugs.

Adopt Healthy Habits

It is crucial to quit old habits and adopt new healthy ones during and after recovery. If you stick to your old routine, hang out at the same places, and with the same people, the chances of slipping back into the same habits will increase. Therefore, immediately adopt healthy habits to avoid triggers, places, or things that make you want to drink or do drugs again. Some healthy habits that you can adopt are;

·         Maintain a Balanced Diet

Many people ignore their diet during addiction. Maintaining a balanced diet can help your body heal from the damages of addiction, improve your mood, and boost your energy. All these benefits reduce the risk of a relapse.

You can experience cravings after quitting. Try to satiate those cravings by eating healthy snacks like dry fruits, fresh fruits, vegetables, or other preferred foods. However, it is advised to avoid caffeine, sugar, and processed food.

·         Exercise

Exercise is a great way to stay sober. It releases endorphins in the body that help you stay fit and uplift your mood. If you find it difficult to go to a gym, you can also do recreational activities like hiking, biking, swimming, yoga, and more.

·         Follow a Routine

An unorganized lifestyle can lead you to addiction again. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a structured routine. A strict routine will keep you busy, and you will be able to set short-term and long-term goals in your life.

·         Get Quality Sleep

Sleep can make you less vulnerable to a relapse. If you are well-rested, you will not experience random cravings. Some ways to get quality sleep every night include;

• Go to sleep at the same time every day
• Try to get at least eight hours of sleep
• Stop eating and drinking three hours before sleeping
• Only use your bed for sleeping
• Turn all electronic devices off almost an hour before going to sleep

Live a Balanced Life

When recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, most people replace their past addiction with a new compulsive behavior like work, a new diet, exercise, or something else. Even though these new habits are healthy and productive, they can block the recovery process as they will only be a replacement for your old addictions.

Therefore, it is encouraged to maintain a healthy balance in your life. Schedule your day thoughtfully and allocate adequate time to all activities like work, exercise, food, and socialization. It will also help you take back control of your choices and ultimately, life.

Manage Stress

Stress is a leading cause of substance abuse. Therefore, you should learn to manage and avoid stress. Monitor your mood and identify the signs of stress. Some common signs include trouble sleeping, chest pain, muscle tension, and racing thoughts.

Once you identify the signs, adopt healthy techniques to deal with them. Some ways to deal with stress include;

• Meditation
• Following an exercise routine
• Using breathing techniques
• Having a support system that you can turn to for comfort
• Reducing sugar and caffeine intake
• Getting enough sleep

Build Healthy Relationships

Cutting off all toxic relationships from your life is essential for recovery. Sometimes close friends and family can contribute to your relapse as they may have been enabling your addiction without even knowing it. Maintaining such toxic relationships increases your chances of relapse. Moreover, avoid socializing with your old drinking buddies as they can also get you into trouble again.

It is beneficial to build a healthy social network that includes friends who encourage you to adopt a healthy and sober lifestyle. Try including wiser people in your circle who can guide you during tough times and stressful situations.

The Bottom Line

Drinking and drug addiction are common forms of addiction in the US. Addiction can impact the mental and physical health of a person as well as the economy of a country. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent and treat drug addiction. Various rehab centers specialized in treating addiction are present across the country. Whether you get treated at a rehab facility or quit yourself, adopting a healthy lifestyle afterward is essential to avoid relapse.

Some ways to adapt a healthy lifestyle include living a balanced life, adopting healthy habits (like exercising, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and following a structured schedule), building healthy relationships, and managing unwanted stress. Hopefully, this article will help you understand ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle after quitting drinking and drugs.