Rehab is not something that’s only for the rich. Likewise, life after rehab is undoubtedly difficult, but it can work for anyone. Nevertheless, re-entering life after alcohol addiction treatment can leave you with a lot more questions than answers. Many people don’t know how to start over and this can often get them in trouble. If you are fresh out of rehab and are wondering how to start over, you can take advantage of the following tips:

Commit to sobriety

By completing treatment, you have overcome the first major hurdle. You have to commit to full sobriety if you want to start fresh. This means you need to be completely focused on your recovery by getting a sponsor, going to self-help meetings, opting for alcohol monitoring and actively working on recovery.

Be prepared for a relapse

This is not the question of if, but when you may suffer from a relapse. Even though it is not inevitable, it is highly likely. You could fall into a relapse several times. It has happened to millions who went through treatment. The healthy living behaviors and coping strategies you learnt in rehab will be incredibly useful in getting you through relapse, if it were to happen. You should learn to recognize the signs and get help early on if there is a slip. When you master relapse prevention, you will come out stronger and be able to deal with situations that precipitated relapse in a better way.

Learn to forgive yourself

The misdeeds of the past that occurred when you were drinking are definitely going to cause you some guilt, but this is time for a complete do-over. It is not possible to rewrite the past, but you can certainly make changes in the present and future. But, for this to happen, you have to realize that you are only human and should forgive yourself in order to move forward.

Take care of yourself

Last, but definitely not the least, you need to take care of yourself. Many people are in such a hurry to get back to their life that they neglect self-care. If you don’t eat well-balanced meals, get sufficient sleep and regular exercise, you will just run yourself down, which depletes your energy and sets you up for a relapse. You also need to learn to balance stress and avoid triggers in order to build up stability.