What Is There To Do Sober In Los Angeles?

One of the most common misconceptions about getting sober is that your life will be boring. The good news is this is a misconception and extremely far from being the truth, including for those who live in or are visiting Los Angeles. Just because you are in addiction recovery, it doesn’t mean you cannot have fun. There are several ways to have fun in the city, without using drugs or alcohol. The use of drugs and alcohol does not define your life; in fact, getting sober means you are finally living and enjoying a healthy life. Here are just a few of things you can enjoy in Los Angeles, even while being sober.

Amusement Parks

Like many other cities in California, Los Angeles is home to a lot of amusement parks where you can spend the day riding roller coasters, eating excellent food and trying your hand at various games. Universal Studios, for example, is a great place to enjoy “reenactments” or participating in the same adventures as the characters in your favorite movies. The good news is that even if you used to visit these places before getting sober, you may find you enjoy them much more now that you’re in addiction recovery.

Spend Time at the Beach

One of the best things about Los Angeles is that the weather is almost always perfect for spending the day at the beach. You can pack a picnic, grab your surfboard or simply choose to relax on the sand. There is always some type of activity going on at the different beaches throughout Los Angeles and the surrounding area. If this will be your first time going to the beach sober, you may find that you see the surroundings in a much different view and that you enjoy the environment more than you expected.

Visit a Museum

Unless there is an event involving drugs or alcohol, most people with an addiction don’t include a visit to the museum into their activity schedule. Now that you are in addiction recovery, a trip to the museum may just allow you to appreciate the experience more. Whether you choose to visit the Getty Center for a glimpse at the masterpieces inside or simply to enjoy the view from the mountains, the trip is definitely worth your time. After enjoying all that the museum has to offer, stop for lunch at one of the local establishments, such as the Nickel Diner.

Go For a Hike

Unfortunately, the use of drugs and alcohol takes a significant toll on your physical health as well as your emotional health. So, one of the best ways to celebrate your addiction recovery is by participating in activities that are beneficial for both your physical and emotional health. Los Angeles has some of the greatest places available to hike and most of the trails are pet-friendly, so you can take your pet with you. If you prefer to see the sights on horseback, that can be achieved as well or you can visit Pacific Palisades to see the waterfalls up Temescal Canyon. However, you choose to hit the trails, hiking sober will allow you to enjoy the environment and work on your physical and emotional health.

Being sober will open up a whole new world of experiences for you, so it’s time to get out there and do everything you ever dreamed of doing. Addiction recovery is the time to focus on yourself, do the things you never found time to do when you were using your substance of choice. Try new and different things; you might be completely surprised at how much your interests have changed now that you’re sober. The goal is to have fun and recognize the fact that your addiction is no longer running your life, you are now in charge, so enjoy all that you missed while using and all the things you have worked hard to enjoy.

Eight Ideas to Help You Stay Sober Over the Holidays

The holidays might mean parties for hosting as well as marshmallows for roasting, but they can also pose a hardship for those in recovery, especially for those in the early stages of the process.  The combined stresses of parties, traveling, shopping, finances, and expectations can tempt people into relapsing.  At Grace Recovery, a brand-new state-of-the-art addiction treatment program located in Hollywood, California, and serving the entire Los Angeles area, we have compiled this list of suggestions for keeping you safe and sober during the holidays.

1.  Plan ahead.

One of the benefits of holiday get-togethers is that nearly all of them are scheduled.  This will permit you to know what is coming up and prepare for them accordingly.  It’s easy to have a game plan ready when you can anticipate what will happen during a party, and skip it if you think the temptation to drink or take drugs will be too great.  Rest assured that even if you do skip a party you can be reasonably sure that you could attend next-year’s festivities after you get a year of recovery under your belt.  And speaking of planning, prepare yourself ahead of time by talking yourself up before you head to a party.  That way you will be prepared for whatever you encounter once you get there.

2.  There’s safety in numbers.

If you decide to attend a party or other event, consider taking a sober friend with you to help keep you sane. Ideally, take someone with you who is aware of your situation and who will encourage you to stick with your recovery plan.  Whether you take a friend with you or not, you can also call a friend or sponsor to check in when the event is over.  And when someone does confront you with drugs or alcohol, be ready with a defense not to partake.

3.  Know your limits.

There is almost always a social pressure at parties and other events to convince you to drink.  You can minimize this pressure by deciding ahead of time how long you will stay at an event.  Further, know in advance not only when, but how you plan to leave an event when you are finished.  And if you anticipate having a tough time, bring your own car so you can dictate when it’s time for you to leave.

4.  Know and avoid your triggers.

Keep in mind your triggers–those people, places, and situations–that cause you to drink or take drugs, and avoid them.  For example, if certain people cause you to falter, simply avoid them or spend minimal time with them, especially when they start encouraging you to drink or take drugs.  This is especially true if you are already experiencing your own mood reactions such as loneliness, anger, hunger, and tiredness.  These internal situations can cause someone to buckle when confronted by tempting people or situations.

5.  Stay occupied.

When you get to a party or other gathering, what do you plan on doing?  Do you plan to engage in conversations?  Perhaps eat dinner?  Stay mindful of what you are doing since this will prevent you from doing something else, often without even thinking about it.  Also, people will be less likely to offer you a drink if you are busy talking with someone or taking part in another activity.  Another good strategy for dealing with those who want you to drink or take drugs is to already keep a drink (nonalcoholic, of course) in your hands.  You can take a drink if you already have one, can you?  Further, many people will naturally assume that you are already drinking if you have a full glass in your hands.

6.  Case the joint beforehand.

When you receive an invite, ask the host whether there will be alcohol or those using drugs at the event.  This way you will know whether to accept an invitation or avoid certain people who might cause you to stumble.  If you are concerned that someone will want to discuss drinking or drugs, or even rehab, stay focused on something else and avoid the discussion entirely.  Remember, nobody has the right to force you to drink or take drugs, and those who do are not your friends.

7.  Focus on the positive.

There are always plenty of things associated with the holidays that have nothing to do with drugs and alcohol.  Why not focus on these things?  These might include activities such as baking and other cooking, playing holiday games, and much more.

8.  Be of service.

The holidays are full of opportunities to find fulfillment in giving of yourself.  By taking your mind off of drinking and drugs, you can concentrate on providing support to others.  This not only benefits other people by paying forward, but it also builds your own strength as well.

 

Why Aftercare is Essential to Your Success

What is Aftercare?

Aftercare is a system of support that continues even after your recovery program is complete. Consider a teenager first getting his permit. He studies and takes a test that then gives him the ability to drive. Before then, he could not legally get behind a wheel and drive. Therefore, the government requires that he then wait a set amount of time to get his license to drive by himself. That time frame gives the teen time to practice driving with an adult. Instead of the teen being thrown out to learn how to drive by himself, he gets secondary training.

Aftercare follows the same basic idea. The treatment program is the primary program. Aftercare is the second program that prevents the newly addiction-free person from having to immediately learn to fend for himself. It provides time to acclimate.

The aftercare plan is designed specifically for the individual receiving it. You and your support team will design a plan for how you can continue to remain addiction-free long after treatment is over. It may include additional counseling, access, and information to support groups, and much more.

Reasons Aftercare is Important

Once you step out of your addiction treatment program, it is like stepping into a whole new world- one that you do not yet know how to navigate. One minute you are surrounded by people and activities that are intended to help you. Next thing you know, it feels like you have been thrown to the wolves with no weapon in sight. It is one thing to fight an addiction when you are surrounded by positive things, a support system, and a lack of temptation. It is a completely different battle to return to the life that was once ruled by addiction and try to stay clean.

Facing this new world alone and too quickly can easily lead to relapse. This is why aftercare is essential because of it:

-It eases you back into the world with full freedom.

If you step out into the world with complete freedom immediately, you might not know how to stay away from your old life. When you were in your treatment program, it was easier to fight the addiction because your substance of choice was not readily available to you. That is no longer the case once you leave your program. Suddenly, you are back where you were when addiction controlled your life, and the freedom to do what you choose.

With aftercare, you have access to a community of people fighting the same battle and others who are there to help that understand what you are dealing with. Loved ones are great, but if they have never experienced addiction, it is hard for them to understand your battle. With this community of support, you no longer have to feel like you were thrown to the wolves.

-You have an accountability system.

Without someone to be accountable to, it is too easy to think that you can go back to your old life and no one will know or care. Being accountable means that you have someone to answer to, and most people do not want to admit that they relapsed.

-Your support is around while you learn how to live without the addiction.

Living without addiction when you have lived with it so long can be extraordinarily different. You basically have to learn how to live again- how to function in your daily life without the thing that once helped you cope. With aftercare, your support stays with you while you learn how to live life as a new, addiction-free person.

Conclusion

Your treatment program is important, but aftercare is just as important to your success. To prevent relapse, it is vital to have an aftercare plan. Here at Grace Recovery, we will design and help you implement an aftercare strategy that can keep you on your addiction-free path. Contact us today!

Tips for Your First 30 Days of Sobriety

Addiction is a very serious and deadly disease. As with any disease, you are going to need professional help if you are going to get better. Most people who have an addiction who have tried to quit cold turkey have not been successful. According to the National Institue Of Drug Abuse, addiction cannot be cured; however, with the right help, it can be managed successfully. If you are going to get sober and remain sober, you will need professional help from Grave Recovery. We are a state-of-the-art addiction treatment program in Hollywood. We can give you the tools that you need to fight your addiction.

Anyone in recovery will tell you that the first 30 days of sobriety are the most challenging. If you are going to stay clean, you should know a few tips to follow during those first 30 days.

Avoid Old “Friends”

When you first decide that it is time to get sober, you are going to need to cut ties with anyone in your life who uses. In the first 30 days, you won’t be strong enough to resist temptation. If you stop by a friend’s house and they are drinking or using, it will likely cause a relapse. You are going to need to cut all contact with these people, and start spending time with people who are clean and sober.

Support Systems

You are going to need a lot of support during your first 30 days of sobriety if you are going to prevent a relapse. There are a few different types of support that can be very helpful.

  • 12-Step Meetings: It is essential that you attend meetings daily during your recovery. Being around other addicts and hearing their stories can give you the support and the inspiration that you need to stay clean. Being able to stand up and tell your story is helpful as well.
  • Individual Therapy: It is a good idea to start going to individual therapy, especially during your first 30 days of sobriety. Many addicts use substances to mask an underlying condition. When you get the treatment that you need to work on the underlying condition, it can be very beneficial to your sobriety.
  • Support System: It is essential to have a support system of clean friends and family members in place. If you start to feel down or weak, the people in your support system can be there to give you the help that you need.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise is a great tool when it comes to getting sober. Exercise helps produce endorphins, which can give you a natural high. After a run or a good workout, many people report a euphoric feeling. Also, when you are focusing on your body and your health, you won’t be thinking about using. The best types of exercise are anything that gets your heart pumping and makes you work up a sweat.

Write-In a Journal

During your first days of sobriety, you should start writing in a journal. This is a place where you can vent your feelings. If you feel frustrated, angry, or weak, putting it on paper can help. It is also a great place to document your successes. The key to effective journaling is to be honest about your feelings in your journal. Nobody will be reading it but you; therefore, you can write down whatever you are feeling. This can be especially helpful if you aren’t quite ready to open up to your loved ones.

Don’t Rationalize

Rationalization is common during the first 30 days of sobriety. Many people who have been sober for a short period of time tell themselves that they have a few weeks under their belts; therefore, they can have one or two drinks. It is this type of thinking that quickly leads to a relapse.

Don’t Dwell On Past Mistakes

When you are finally sober and clear-headed, it is not uncommon to start dwelling on the mistakes that you made during your addiction. Thinking about the people that you hurt and the things that you lost will only make things worse. The depression that dwelling on the past can cause will only result in a relapse. Rather than dwelling on the past, start making plans for your future. Making plans will give you hope for your future as a sober person.

If you are suffering from addiction, the professionals at Grace Recovery can help. We have everything that you could need, all under one roof. After completing our detoxification program, you can start getting the help and tools necessary to stay sober at our residential inpatient program. We have plenty of luxurious amenities to make your stay as comfortable as possible. If you are ready to leave drugs and alcohol behind, and you are prepared to start living a sober and productive life, contact our center in Los Angeles, CA today. Making that call is the first step toward your happy, sober life.