What exactly is a recovery plan?
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: GA
Posts: 700
Yay aboveangel! I was trying to locate this earlier to link you to it. Glad you found it.
The clock strikes midnight... my hand is tired. Thought I was done til i read the second page and saw soberandhonest's outline. Wow, so great, thank you for that.
The clock strikes midnight... my hand is tired. Thought I was done til i read the second page and saw soberandhonest's outline. Wow, so great, thank you for that.
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 128
My recovery plan
Hobbies/activities: Spin classes, workout/barre classes, hiking, horse back riding, swimming, painting, reading, writing, arts/crafts.
Support: Significant other
I just made an appointment with a therapist
Sober recovery thread
Coping mechanisms
Go for a hike, make a gratefulness list, read, journal down feelings, go out and grab a coffee, walk around Target, go shopping, go to the animal shelter, mainly get out of the house where you are alone.
Use deep breathing, essential oils, brief vacation, mindfulness
Places to hang out instead of a bar: Coffee shop, apartment office, Eagle Eye book store, take a walk, lie out by the pool, animal shelter
Support: Significant other
I just made an appointment with a therapist
Sober recovery thread
Coping mechanisms
Go for a hike, make a gratefulness list, read, journal down feelings, go out and grab a coffee, walk around Target, go shopping, go to the animal shelter, mainly get out of the house where you are alone.
Use deep breathing, essential oils, brief vacation, mindfulness
Places to hang out instead of a bar: Coffee shop, apartment office, Eagle Eye book store, take a walk, lie out by the pool, animal shelter
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,445
sounds like a good start bringmeback but there's not much there on the mechanics of not drinking or dealing with cravings?
Do read the links at the tip of this thread- they will give you more ideas
D
Do read the links at the tip of this thread- they will give you more ideas
D
Friendly Folk
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Powers Lake, Wisconsin
Posts: 21,721
Originally Posted by Dee74 
We have a excellent post at the top of the forum on this, but it's important enough to reiterate some of the main points
Basically a recovery plan is a plan to help you stop drinking/drugging and stay stopped.
Things like exercise and hobbies should be a part of just about every recovery plan - but I really believe we also need to specifically address the drinking/drugging too.
Think about changes you need to make to your life.
Not only changes what you do for fun, the places you hang out and who you hang with, but also deeper change.
No matter what you drink or used for - stress or boredom, anger, joy, physical or emotional pain - you need new coping mechanisms to deal with all those things.
you also need to anticipate those times when you will want to drink or use, or when drink/drugs will be offered to you.
Have a strategy in place for dealing with those situations.
Ask for help here if you're not sure what to do or how to do it
All this can be difficult - which is why support is so important.
It might be a Dr or a counsellor, or a group like AA SMART LifeRing or some other alternative...it might be outpatient or inpatient rehab - it might just be SR and other forums/chat rooms...
Find a level of support than works for you, and that you are willing to reach out when you're in trouble.
cover these bases, and you'll have the beginnings of a great plan.
This is an easy to read but detailed link which fills out the ideas a little more:
https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/conten...0/SMA-3720.pdf
D
Basically a recovery plan is a plan to help you stop drinking/drugging and stay stopped.
Things like exercise and hobbies should be a part of just about every recovery plan - but I really believe we also need to specifically address the drinking/drugging too.
Think about changes you need to make to your life.
Not only changes what you do for fun, the places you hang out and who you hang with, but also deeper change.
No matter what you drink or used for - stress or boredom, anger, joy, physical or emotional pain - you need new coping mechanisms to deal with all those things.
you also need to anticipate those times when you will want to drink or use, or when drink/drugs will be offered to you.
Have a strategy in place for dealing with those situations.
Ask for help here if you're not sure what to do or how to do it
All this can be difficult - which is why support is so important.
It might be a Dr or a counsellor, or a group like AA SMART LifeRing or some other alternative...it might be outpatient or inpatient rehab - it might just be SR and other forums/chat rooms...
Find a level of support than works for you, and that you are willing to reach out when you're in trouble.
cover these bases, and you'll have the beginnings of a great plan.
This is an easy to read but detailed link which fills out the ideas a little more:
https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/conten...0/SMA-3720.pdf
D
Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Gainesville, Fl
Posts: 435
Hobbies are a big thing I'm lacking. I like camping, hiking, doing things outdoors....but it's Florida. At least 8 months a year it's too hot and muggy outside to camp. The humidity makes the summers near unbearable.
A lot of hobbies require money to invest in. Outside of occasionally playing video games, I've yet to find a hobby to really keep me occupied.
A lot of hobbies require money to invest in. Outside of occasionally playing video games, I've yet to find a hobby to really keep me occupied.
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,445
There's a lot of suggestions in this link for things to do that may spark some ideas
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ething-do.html (Looking For Something To Do?)
A recovery plan needs to be about more than just keeping busy tho.
Noone can keep busy 24/7/365.
Think about strategies for when you crave a drink, peer pressure, dealing with problems or stress...whatever your triggers are.
Every strategy you have in place, every contingency plan, can mean the difference between drinking and not drinking.
D
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ething-do.html (Looking For Something To Do?)
A recovery plan needs to be about more than just keeping busy tho.
Noone can keep busy 24/7/365.
Think about strategies for when you crave a drink, peer pressure, dealing with problems or stress...whatever your triggers are.
Every strategy you have in place, every contingency plan, can mean the difference between drinking and not drinking.
D
Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Gainesville, Fl
Posts: 435
Originally Posted by Givingup54
I'm kind of in the same boat abgator. I used to enjoy needlework, but can't do more than a very few minutes at a time these days, due to arthritis. I definitely need to find new things to enjoy.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 21
This is a great thread I'm reading again. I'm struggling on and off with alcohol. I can go a week a few months then something just breaks me down. I just want to get over that hump and not have the cravings as much! I hope everyone has a great weekend as me and my family are under some major stressful times right now. Just know if this helps anyone know that your not the only one!!
Last edited by cuezncars; 12-14-2019 at 01:18 AM. Reason: Spelling
Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 34
Lots of wonderful advice here, thank you all so much for sharing.
Has anyone else felt overwhelmed at the concept of making a plan? Honestly I had never thought about making a plan before, but that is probably why I keep failing. The closest I have come to a plan is making a list of things to do other than drink which I can refer to when I feel temptation. I guess I don't want to shortcut the plan and sabotage myself, but it feels very overwhelming. I just don't know if I can face certain things yet . . . I feel like getting into triggers even in writing is going to trigger me. Thinking too hard about the consequences of what I have been doing is triggering. Contemplating the huge change I am making, thinking about never going out for drinks again, never having a drink again . . . digging too deeply into things right now feels like it will send me into a "well, everything is effed up anyways, so whatever" way of thinking, and back to drinking. Has anyone had success with just making a plan that addresses your basic daily habits, with perhaps some special planning as significant days approach, but doesn't really delve too deeply into the other stuff?
Has anyone else felt overwhelmed at the concept of making a plan? Honestly I had never thought about making a plan before, but that is probably why I keep failing. The closest I have come to a plan is making a list of things to do other than drink which I can refer to when I feel temptation. I guess I don't want to shortcut the plan and sabotage myself, but it feels very overwhelming. I just don't know if I can face certain things yet . . . I feel like getting into triggers even in writing is going to trigger me. Thinking too hard about the consequences of what I have been doing is triggering. Contemplating the huge change I am making, thinking about never going out for drinks again, never having a drink again . . . digging too deeply into things right now feels like it will send me into a "well, everything is effed up anyways, so whatever" way of thinking, and back to drinking. Has anyone had success with just making a plan that addresses your basic daily habits, with perhaps some special planning as significant days approach, but doesn't really delve too deeply into the other stuff?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,509
They say one step at a time....and part of that is because yes, this can be overwhelming. 
s
I went small and built up slowly.
In the beginning it was don't pick up a drink, post and read on SR and talk to an addiction counsellor once a day.
And to be kind to myself ~ to eat healthy food, drink lots of water and go on little walks.
I guess the only other thing I did right away was to stop watching tv shows and such that had booze all over the place.
That was it until I felt better and stronger.
Then I added more things like recovery books and face 2 face meetings.
sI went small and built up slowly.
In the beginning it was don't pick up a drink, post and read on SR and talk to an addiction counsellor once a day.
And to be kind to myself ~ to eat healthy food, drink lots of water and go on little walks.
I guess the only other thing I did right away was to stop watching tv shows and such that had booze all over the place.
That was it until I felt better and stronger.
Then I added more things like recovery books and face 2 face meetings.
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