Recovering from alcoholism often is a difficult process that involves learning ways to remain abstinent, dealing with the obstacles of daily life while sober and handling potential slips back into alcohol use. A healthy plan of recovery often involves strategies that build coping skills, improves self-care habits and addresses ways to prevent relapse. The Mayo Clinic further recommends building a healthy support network to aid in achieving long-term recovery.
Building Coping Skills
Coping skills are important to recovery from alcoholism required for a person to deal with the normal obstacles of life without turning to alcohol. One way to build coping skills is to set goals. An example of a recovery-oriented goal might be committing to abstinence from alcohol for the day. With the goal of abstinence comes the need for a coping skill to deal with the stress of the day, so the second portion of the goal might be to acknowledge the feeling of stress and seek support. To increase goal-setting and coping skills GoalSettingStrategies.com recommends using SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound.
High-Risk Situations
Identifying high-risk situations or the warning signs of a potential relapse with alcohol is crucial in maintaining recovery. Substance abuse expert Terence Gorski says recognizing the risks and denial that accompany addiction is essential in learning to deal with painful situations that lead to alcohol use. Developing a list of risky situations and ways to manage the risks is one strategy for alcohol recovery. Additionally, Gorski's website offers exercise strategies for recognizing how being in denial may perpetuate alcoholism as well as ways to stop denial once it is recognized.
Nutrition Improvement
The University of Maryland Medical Center recognizes that alcohol addiction is one major cause of nutritional deficiency. Taking an interest in self-care is important for a long-term and healthy recovery process. Simple ways to improve nutrition during recovery includes taking a multivitamin and eating foods low in sugar and high in protein. The food pyramid's recommendations on healthy portions and daily exchange provide for ways to incorporate nutrition into daily recovery.
Relapse Prevention Plan
Relapse prevention plans--which can be done at home or in counseling sessions with a trained professional--are a tool for identifying trigger cues for potential relapse. A relapse prevention plan that addresses healthy ways to manage crisis also is ideal for maintaining sobriety. As part of a relapse prevention plan, identifying support people to turn to during times of crisis or when triggered may make the difference between relapse or maintaining sobriety.
