We all know that recovery from substance abuse is an ongoing process that takes a lot of patience, work and dedication. Temptations may appear even in the most unexpected moments which makes it difficult for many individuals to fight against this issue. A late survey has shown an estimated 586,780 dependent drinkers in the U.K from which 18% are receiving treatment.

If you are one of those individuals, chances are that you might turn back to your old habits at some point after your first recovery. Even though this might sound difficult, there are various ways you can overcome alcohol withdrawal, using proper treatments, making important life changes and building a new perspective on life. As stated by many psychologists, change comes from within as soon as we're ready to eliminate the environmental, social and psychological factors that trick us into believing alcohol is a solution to our problems.

Consider Some Changes

Yes, changes. In the way we think, feel and respond to different situations no matter how overwhelming these are. This should be an important aim as soon as you've finished your rehab. Old routines, bad habits and bad influence from those old acquaintances should disappear from your life like a cloud from a clear sky. Most probably you've heard it before, but implementing small changes is the right way to do it. Hang out somewhere you have never been before, try a new restaurant, start writing, read more sci-fi, accept new people in your life that think differently. No matter how small they are, if you succeed in implementing these changes after rehab it means you're on the right way. Don't forget that challenges and events with the potential to trigger your old habits may appear more often than you believe.

How to avoid them? If you keep hanging out with your old drinking friends you simply can't expect to remain sober too long. Many individuals trying to stay clean believe it is entirely in their advantage to build new relationships with healthy and mentally strong people. How do we identify those people? They lack vices and have full control of their lives being completely aware of things with a potential threat for their physical and mental well-being.

Get More Physically Active

Being physically active has plenty of benefits for both your mind and body. If you used to drink excessively there is a good chance your health was affected by toxic substances you've stressed your body with all these years. As stated before, stress can be one of the most common triggers for alcohol withdrawal. Thus, being physically active, implementing a healthy routine and sticking with it might be the smart move for you may not know it yet.

Physical activity of any type is known to have a high impact on stress level and boredom bringing you emotional benefits and restoring a sense of balance and fulfilment in your life. Getting physically active after your rehab doesn't really mean you have to become the world's best athlete but rather starting with small things such as a short walk through the park, pick up a sport you once enjoyed such as basketball, football, swimming or winter sports. There are plenty of activities you'll sincerely enjoy if you're eager to give it a chance for the sake of your own well-being. 

Build Healthy Relationships

In case no one from your old group of friends seems to encourage your efforts after rehab, a smart move would be to let them go. We know how frustrating and heart-breaking this might sound but sacrificing what offers you comfort in the present moment for an abundance of pleasure and stability in the future is highly necessary. Why so? It's the small decision you repeat over the years that determine the quality of your life.

That's available for everything, starting from bad habits, momentary happiness with people who don't care about your efforts, all these must be sacrificed if you're willing to improve your life. Additionally, sacrificing your old relationships for the sake of improvement may also offer you opportunities to meet beautiful and worthy people, and build healthy relationships.

Find Your Meaning

As stated by Jordan Peterson, professor, author influential thought leader and philosophical phenomenon, the lack of meaning, not finding a purpose in your life is the main cause for stress, anxiety and depression which leads to all sorts of addictions.

 People tend to overlook this factor, there is no secret that many alcoholics have problems meeting work-related responsibilities, managing money and maintaining employment. Thus, they're unhappy because they haven't found fulfilment in their lives yet. After recovery, the best way to overcome these addictions is to find balance and regain control over all of your decisions and everything in your life. If it's your old life routine, your work life, bad choices, lack of healthy schedule that put you into this, then you should start to implement some changes.  

Work on You're your Emotions

Poor life choices are often a result of uncontrollable emotions. One area you should focus on after your rehab is working on your emotions. A great tool to identify and tackle those emotions may be mindfulness. Various mindfulness-based therapies have proven highly efficient during and after rehab. Mindfulness is there to give people a new perspective on their lives, helping them reduce alcohol withdrawal by accepting current feelings and being more present at the moment. Studies have shown that in time, mindfulness practices tend to rewire the brain and reinforce the neural pathways linked to stress and anxiety.

It is clear that if you quit alcohol but you continue to make the same poor choice that put into this, such as hanging with toxic people in the same places, and not willing to make small improvements for the sake of your wellbeing, it's more likely to slip back into the same bad patterns. The change comes from within, with proper help and balanced life you will certainly make it.