For the most part, his migraines are gone, although one will pop up occasionally when he’s speaking to a group without a microphone or playing rough with his kids. «It’s so rewarding to see the miracle of recovery every day,» Cochran said. Herren said therapists and patients at his facility were soon wearing Georgia football T-shirts. During Cochran’s second stay, he was more committed to getting sober and more transparent about his struggles.
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It can help convert into a far better mood, higher energy levels, sharper mental alertness, better health, and more. A comprehensive health change won’t happen overnight, but over time, your tastes will change, and you’ll start craving healthy food. Next, you’ll begin to see extraordinary changes in appearance, immunity, energy level, and overall health.
- A well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can profoundly impact your physical and mental health.
- He was buying painkillers from a former addict — two a day at first and then six to eight.
- You don’t want to make things harder by going into rehab with the wrong mindset.
- When these basic needs are not met, it’s much more likely to turn to self-destructive behaviors rather than healthy coping mechanisms.
Taking Care of Yourself Throughout Recovery
Our Treatment Advisors are available 24 hours a day to help you or a loved one access care. We’re ready to make sure you have the support you need to achieve lifelong recovery. If finding a supportive and sober environment at home is challenging, you might want to consider sober living homes. Sober living homes have a rebuilding your life after addiction structured and drug-free environment, support groups, and professional staff to help you transition back into society and maintain sobriety. Get started by speaking with one of our compassionate treatment specialists. Chances are, you’d be surprised to see the difference sleeping for eight hours every night can make.
- After spending an amount of time in treatment, the transition process of rebuilding your life after addiction can be challenging and will require several steps.
- Many substances cause skin lesions, which can become infected and look quite gruesome at times.
- Your commitment to a healthier and happier life is your greatest strength.
- When you approach those people, acknowledge how you hurt them, and ask for forgiveness.
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- If you’re concerned about a friend or family member’s well-being, we’re here to guide them on their path to recovery.
- As you rebuild your life and form your support system, relationships damaged by addiction may also need attention, as the support of loved ones is invaluable.
- Most often, this behavior is not because of a lack of resources or a need to steal due to hunger or poverty.
- When Smart was hired to coach Georgia in December 2015, he tried to bring Cochran with him.
Working in an environment that triggers your addiction and encourages drugs or alcohol could have serious effects on your life. In order to firmly stay on the path of sobriety, make sure you find a working environment that does not alcohol or drug use. Substance addiction leaves the body and mind weak and exhausted. It can cause damage to the brain and other major organs of the body.
Step 4- Follow Through
As long as you do not pick up a drug, and you keep working towards your goals, you will get better and better at achieving more in life than you ever imagined. By taking these challenges one day at a time, you give yourself the best possible chance of long-term success. Choosing recovery is a courageous act, so be kind to yourself throughout this process. There will be good days and difficult ones, triumphs and setbacks.
Step 7: Start Exercising
Addiction has probably left a bit of a vacuum in your life, and this is the perfect time to find something positive and meaningful to fill it up. Find a new hobby, volunteer at an animal shelter, study or do a course that will help you in your career. Do something that brings you joy and leads you further along the path that you want to follow in the future. For example, if you became an addict during your teenage years, but you’re now sober in your late 20’s — things are going to be very different. For those that are trying to reintegrate themselves into everyday life after recovery, it can be a truly terrifying process.
Tracking measurable goals can be an excellent motivator for seeing your progress. Herren said one of the most rewarding parts of Cochran’s recovery is seeing his face on a weekly Zoom meeting of alumni from his recovery center. «Why not stand up and say, ‘Hey, let’s come together,'» Cochran said. On June 26, Cochran and former Georgia political staffer Jeff Breedlove, who battled a cocaine addiction, launched the American Addiction Recovery Association. While his life used to be defined by championships, draft picks and All-Americans, Cochran now measures it by days of sobriety. Then, in the beginning of November 2023, Cochran relapsed again.
What diet should I follow after addiction recovery?
Whether it’s hiking, swimming, yoga, cycling, pilates, joining a gym, or a team sport, exercise can take things to a whole other level. Another reason to start exercising is to meet others dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle, which will help support your newly found healthy habits. Another step to take when mending relationships with friends and family and to find out what they expect and need from you and their expectations of your behavior when dealing with them. For example, if you began using drugs and alcohol as a teen, and now you’re in your late 20’s, the early ’30s, life has changed. You may only remember things back when you were sober and a functioning family member, but those roles and expectations in those relationships have also changed. Chance are, in the substance-abusing days, you did bad things or failed during that previous lifestyle.