The year 2020 will go down in infamy for the many challenges we have faced as individuals, as a nation, and as a world. For those in addiction recovery, 2020 has introduced especially difficult challenges. Even individuals with years and years of sobriety may have experienced stressors that threatened their recovery this year. No matter how secure someone was in his or her recovery journey, when it came to the impact of the pandemic, they might have found their trusted sobriety framework a bit wobbly.
The sobriety framework is the sober routine that helps to structure recovery in a way that reinforces it through such things as healthy lifestyle habits and a dependable sober support network. With many sources of support only sporadically available this year, this has posed special challenges to maintaining sobriety in 2020. As we enter a new season, the fall of 2020, it’s a good time to flesh out a renewed commitment to your sobriety framework upon which a solid sober future can be built.
5 Tips for Building a Sobriety Framework
Start the process of defining your sobriety framework by doing a review of which efforts have helped preserve recovery during COVID-19, and which have not. After culling the ineffective actions from your framework you now have made room for adding some new continuing care efforts. Here are 5 helpful ideas for shoring up your sobriety in 2020:
Commit to more meetings. If you had been attending recovery meetings on and off, now is a good time to recommit to the program. If in person meetings are not yet available in your area, no problem. There are many, many online AA meetings available that you can attend from the comfort of your sofa.
Get outside and move more. The crisp autumn air is a welcome change from the sweltering summer days, so make the most of them by adding a daily walk or run, taking weekly hikes, or joining an outdoor boot camp. Exercise is one way to increase recovery success while also restoring health and wellness after months of indoor living.
Grow your sober network. Social support is essential in addiction recovery. Expand your social circle and widen your support network by finding sober groups and activities to participate in. This will open the door to developing new friendships with others who also prioritize sobriety.
Schedule weekly outpatient therapy sessions. Check in with your psychotherapist on a regular basis to help keep you emotionally tuned up. Together you can work through any issues that might be putting up roadblocks in recovery.
Overhaul your daily diet. While spending so much time in lockdown this year most of us have succumbed to calorie-laden comfort foods. Recommit to a healthy diet that emphasizes lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables for optimal health.
So there you have it, the five pillars that form a strong sobriety framework, addressing sober support, fresh air and exercise, social connection, emotional support, and nutrition.
Ken Seeley Communities provides leading addiction recovery services in Palm Springs, CA.