Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Bootcamp

Welcome to drug and alcohol addiction recovery bootcamp. In this course, you are going to learn how you can fight your addiction from the comfort of your own home. You’ll be able to better understand how your physical body, your mental state, and your social circles play a role your addiction and ability to cure your addiction for good. You’ll learn more specifics about drug and alcohol use and how to manage withdrawals and triggers.

By the end of this course, you’ll have a complete understanding of the whole mind/body experience and will have the tools you need to obtain a full recovery. You’ll be able to achieve complete sobriety through activities and actionable items that are assigned for you to do along the way.

My name is Denise Roberts and I am the founder of LIveRehab.com. I have a bachelor’s degree is substance abuse, chemical dependency and addiction and a masters degree in counseling. I have years of experience working in the mental health and addiction field. My passion is helping people learn how to get sober without having to give up everything to attend a traditional rehab facility.

This course is action based. I am going to be your facilitator but you’re going to the work that is assigned. Each section will have very specific activities for you to do. You will find this course to be engaging and it will feel good knowing that you’re taking all the steps you need to take to achieve a life free from drug and alcohol.

Welcome to – Detox. Before you move on with this course, it is going to be very important that you are post detox. If you are detoxing from alcohol or barbiturates I recommend that you attend a medically monitored detox facility as death is a serious concern when withdrawing from these substances. Immediately after detox, you may begin this course. If you are withdrawing from any other substance and you are not pregnant, you can do this from the comfort of your own home. If you have already completed a detox or have been substance free for longer than 7 days you may skip ahead to the next section.

Detoxing is going to feel like you have been hit with a very bad flu. Getting through a detox takes strength and course and can be successful as long as you set yourself up and that’s what I'm here to help with.

Here are some detoxing tips:

1. Be prepared to take 2-5 days off from work and any other obligations you may have.

2. Get rid of all paraphernalia. Burn or flush your substances down the toilet. You have to trust me on this. If you want to get clean and sober, keeping your substances around will set you up for failure.

3. If you don’t live alone, try and communicate as best as possible with your housemates, whether it’s roommates or family members, with what you are planning to do. If you are doing this in secret, it will best to pretend like you are suffering from influenza or a stomach virus.

4. Clean your house or room. While detoxing the last thing you will want to do is clean. However, having a dirty environment will not be good for your mind. If you have the money, hire someone to clean your home. If not, do the best you can to start with a clean bathroom and kitchen and then move on to removing clutter.

5. Stock your refrigerator with plenty of liquids that include electrolytes (think vitamin water, Gatorade, Pedialite, and so forth) You will need to monitor yourself for signs of dehydration. You can do this by performing the skin test. Take your arm and pinch your skin. If the skin goes back down to normal right away, you are likely okay. If your skin stays in a pinched shape, this means may be showing signs of dehydration. If you are severely dehydrated you will need to go the emergency room right away so they can administer some fluids. If you have questions about this, you can always call the nurse line.

6. Your stomach is going to be very upset. Stick to the brat diet. BRAT is an acronym for Bananas, rice, applesauce, and plain toast.

7. Stock up on entertainment because you will be too sick to go anywhere and staying at home can be very boring. Some suggestions include magazines, DVDs, a subscription to Netflix or Cable TV, video games, crossword puzzles, and whatever you can find that will keep your mind busy.

8. Try to get your body into a good bio rhythm. This means, if you want to be able to sleep at night, try to keep yourself awake during the day. Set your alarm in the morning and open the windows to get some sunlight.

9. Take naps throughout the day if you need to but remember, don’t sleep all day.

10. Try and get some light exercise a few times each day. If you can handle it, go for a walk outside. If you need to stay home or stay close to a toilet, try doing some yoga or stretching to keep your blood flowing through your body.

That concludes our detox lecture. If you have any questions about detox or need encouragement or support be sure to post in the &A section. You got this!

Welcome to our section on Managing Your Body. In this section we will talk about your nutrition, fitness and sleep as well as talk about Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, P.A.W.S.

Hello everyone and welcome to our lecture, managing your body. In this lecture we will talk about how your diet will play an important role in your recovery. It is important to know how food can affect the way you feel and think. Even for those who do not struggle with an addiction, food choices can dramatically affect a person’s mood and the way that they think and feel about their life. Many people in recovery will turn to food for comfort which can negatively impact the chances for complete success.

I’d like you to start by taking a long hard look at what your normal diet consists of. Now this will vary from person to person and will also be highly dependent on what substance it is that you struggle with. So, you can start today by noting down everything you ate yesterday and today.

Here are some tips that I recommend you implement during this program:

1. Get rid of processed foods. This means that if it comes from a can or a box it is very likely that it is not that great for you. Now, I understand that there may be some situations where processed foods are unavoidable but if you can eliminate the majority of processed foods that will be better than not changing anything at all.

2. Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables. For example, buy a 10 pound bag of russet potatoes instead of a box of mashed potatoes. If you are on a budget you can purchase inexpensive fruits and vegetables such as bananas, melon, or kale. Try making a homemade smoothie from fruits and veggies. It is a great way to start your day.

3. Switch to whole grains. I highly recommend that you try eating gluten free if you are able to but switching to whole grains is a must. Instead of purchasing regular bread try looking for 100% whole wheat or gluten free.

4. Get rid of sugar. This one is critical folks. Almost everything you will see will have added sugar. Do whatever you can to eliminate added sugars because sugar has been linked to many major health problems.

5. Take 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar every day. Apple cider vinegar has been shown to help in numerous ways such as eliminating bad bacteria and boosting energy throughout the day.

6. Take your vitamins. This is something that I recommend you talk to your health care professional if you are worried about any part of your physical health. If you are relatively healthy, a daily multivitamin will suffice. Of course, there are other vitamins that can be helpful such as fish oil or extra vitamin D but this is something that you and your doctor should talk about.

7. Stock up on healthy snack bar. Now that you are willing to read labels you will have to find one that includes all natural ingredients. Healthy snack bars are important for on the go eating or getting you to your next meal.

8. Do not skip meals. You do not want to skip any meals because by doing so, you will be more likely to gorge during the next meal. Your daily meal plan should include breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an occasional snack in between.

9. Try a meal plan! There are many plans to choose from. If you are feeling stuck or unmotivated, some people find it helpful to follow an already created plan.

10. Spend time in the kitchen cooking and preparing. I know this can be a challenge but it is well worth the time and effort. Try making it fun by being creative or trying new foods. If you live with other people you can try cooking for them too!

Nutrition is just one component of making sure you have the best possible outcome to kick your addiction forever.

If you’re like most people, including me, the thought of exercise can seem very daunting. Motivation can be hard to come by and that is why I am here to let you know that exercising is not a one-size-fits all activity. This lesson will give you some ideas and tips on how to get your body moving and it will be up to you to decide on what will work best for you and your lifestyle. You have to incorporate physical fitness into your plan though. Not staying active is not an option unless there are physical barriers that keep you from moving your body. If this is the case then I recommend talking to your health care professional to find a safe alternative.

To start a physical program you will need to commit to exercising five times per week for at least 20 minutes each day.

Here are some suggestions on how you can incorporate fitness into your daily routine.

1. Purchase a gym membership. Inside a gym your options are plenty. You can hire a personal trainer, lift weights, attend a class, run on a treadmill or if there is a pool you can go swimming

2. Purchase a home DVD and follow the plan. There are hundreds to choose from and by doing this you can exercise from the comfort of your own home.

3. Run, walk, or jog in your neighborhood. Remember, you will need to do this 5 times per week for 20 minutes each day.

Find a hobby or get back into what you used to consider fun. This may include biking, hiking, swimming, snowboarding, skiing, and etcetera. If riding your bike is fun or you enjoy hiking at sunset then do that!

Hello! And welcome to P.A.W.S.; managing your post withdrawal symptoms. Some of you may be familiar with the acronym PAWS. PAWS stands for Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. This is different from your initial detox withdrawal symptoms as these symptoms may come on at any time after your detox and really they can last for a few years even. The key to managing these symptoms is to know what they are and what causes them.

First, you should be prepared to feel these symptoms often. Some common symptoms include:

1. Depression

2. Anxiety

3. Guilt

4. Anger

5. Agitation

6. Hunger

7. stress

Throughout this program you will feel like you are trying to climb mountains while constantly falling to the floor. If you follow this course your symptoms will be less severe however, they will not completely disappear. The first thing you will want to do is try to figure out what may be causing these symptoms.

Understanding the PAWS acronym

When in recovery, sleep is not a topic to take lightly. You need just the right amount of sleep in order to keep PAWS, post acute withdrawal syndrome under control and it is a way to keep your emotions stable.

So, how much sleep does your body need exactly? Now, it would be very easy for me to give everyone here a magic number for how many hours of sleep you need but unfortunately that is not going to happen. Everyone’s body is very unique. Some people require very little sleep in order to function, while other people cannot function without more sleep. There are many different factors to consider.

The first thing I want you to do is to think back before you started using drugs or alcohol and try and remember what kind of sleeper you were. Were you one of those people who could get five hours each night and be fine or did you need ten hours of sleep just to survive? That will give you a basic understanding of how many hours of sleep you will need.

The average adult requires 7-9 hours per sleep each night. Think about where you fall in that range. Now what I want you to do is to work backwards. What time do you need or want to be waking up every morning? For example, if you need to be up by 6am then count backwards to figure out what time you need to be going to bed. If you are going to require 8 hours of sleep then you will need a bedtime of 10pm.

During these thirty days, I am going to ask that you stick to the same bedtime and wakeup time. This is important as weekend sleeping in can really mess with your body’s biorhythm and may cause negative symptoms.

Now that you have figured out your bedtime and wake up time you can figure in some nap time too. Naps are very important and I am going to suggest to every to try and take one nap every single day. I know that you all have very different schedules and for some, this may not be possible but try and aim for 30-45 minutes. Where and when can you fit that in?

Let’s now talk about your caffeine intake. I am not going to suggest that you stop your caffeine consumption as a healthy amount of caffeine may actually be good for you during this process but I am going to ask that you think about the time you are ingesting caffeine. Do not consume any caffeine 2 hours prior to your nap time and 5 hours prior to bed. So, if your bedtime is 10pm you should not consume caffeine past 5pm.

Do you have trouble falling asleep? This is very common for those in recovery. Oftentimes people will find themselves wide awake when they should be getting ready for bed. This turns into a viscous cycle of staying awake all night and feeling sleepy all day. While not every tip may be possible here are some tips to help get your body relaxed before bed:

• Limit your physical activity two hours prior to bed.

• Watch TV in a place other than your bedroom.

• Turn down the lights, turn off your phone, and turn off your computer at least 90 minutes before bed.

• Do not eat 3 hours prior to bed.

• When in bed, focus on your breath.

• Keep your room dark

• Buy a sleep mask and ear plugs

• Meditate or pray

Welcome to our next section. We have a lot to cover here. We’ll be talking about co-occurring disorders, how to manage stress, professional counseling, managing a crisis, triggers and spirituality.

It is very important to understand how mental health and recovery go hand in hand. If you are struggling with another mental health disorder such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and so forth you must know that if you do not treat or ignore whatever else is going on, your recovery will be impossible. You cannot only treat your addiction as other mental health disorders will sabotage your recovery.

A co-occurring disorder is when someone is diagnosed with substance abuse or addiction as well as one or more other mental health disorders.

While you’re in this bootcamp it is very important that you talk to a mental health professional and focus an equal amount of time and effort on both disorders. If you suspect that you are suffering from an undiagnosed mental health disorder it is important that you make an appointment to obtain an evaluation.

Remember, the only way to obtain a recovery status is to treat both conditions simultaneously. I encourage you to check with your insurance company to find out where and when you can get a mental health evaluation shall you suspect that you are suffering from another disorder. If you have been diagnosed with another mental health disorder please talk to your health care provider about your plan for drug and alcohol treatment.

In this lecture we will talk about how you can manage your psychological symptoms. In Section two, we talked about your physical body. Now we are talking about the things that are going on in your head.

I want you to think back to the time that you started abusing drugs or alcohol. Did something specifically happen in your life that caused you to want to escape what was happening? Maybe it was a bad relationship or a death in the family. Maybe something else. Now, think about that and how it relates to your life today? Are you still dealing with the aftermath of something bad or have you managed to move past it?

The reason that I ask this question is because a lot of times people start abusing drugs or alcohol due to a specific circumstance and even though that situation is no longer relevant, the power of addiction took over. If that situation is still lingering though it will be very important for you to really take a look at that and do what you can to work through that situation or it may even be a few situations.

Another thing during drug and alcohol treatment that you must be aware of is that you may start to encounter some emotions and feelings that you have not had before. This is very common. You see for so long you have been trying to cover up and mask your emotions and feelings that your body has not had a chance to really feel. These feelings can be overwhelming for some people which can sometimes cause a relapse. It is important for you to expect this to happen to you and to understand that this is normal and it won’t last forever.

In this lecture we will talk about how professional counseling or therapy may benefit you. In the beginning of this course we told you that we understood that going to a 90 day treatment program was impossible for some people. However, there are still some major benefits to talking to mental health professionals. If you are suffering from a co-occurring disorder you may already have a counselor or therapist and it will be relatively smooth to start to include recovery related topics into your sessions.

If you do not have a counselor or therapist I encourage you to look into getting one. Being able to talk to somebody who is not your friend or family member can be extremely beneficial during recovery. Oftentimes we have all of these emotions and feelings that we keep bottled up due to our environment and if we keep everything inside all the time at some point there will be no other option but for it to explode. If this happens it can cause a major crisis, a relapse, or can make things worse.

In order to obtain a counselor or therapist you must first know where to look. As you know, it is now a requirement to have health insurance. If you have health insurance you can call your health insurance provider and ask them to give you some details about what mental health services are provided. If you do not have health insurance, you can register for health insurance through your state health plan finder. If you have low income your health insurance will be covered either for free or at a reduced rate.

Some people may not want to use their health insurance for personal reasons. In a case like this, you can find a counselor or therapist who can provide services for a private fee. You can find someone by doing an internet search or using a web search service that connects people with local resources.

Most states in the United States also provide a service called 211 where you can dial 211 from your home or local phone which would connect you to a specialist who can help you find some local resources for counseling or therapy.

In this lesson we will talk about what a crisis is and how you can work through it shall one start to occur.

Let’s talk about what a crisis is. You see, a crisis is not defined by the situation that occurs. It is defined by how you react to the situation. . Bad things happen all the time but not everyone reacts badly to every situation or our entire society would be in a constant state of crisis.

The only person that can have an opinion on whether or not they are in a crisis is that person who is experiencing it. Just because I may be okay with my grandmother passing away does not mean that my sister is okay with it. That’s her experience, not mine.

Think about substance abuse and addiction. Rock bottom is not the same for everyone either. We often hear the phrase, “They have to hit rock bottom in order for them to realize they need help.” Well, that may be true for some but not for all and at the same time, rock bottom can range from a personal revelation to being homeless on the street.

If you sit in a drug and alcohol group, you know the one where you are supposed to talk about your feelings in a circle; someone’s rock bottom will be the worst whereas someone else’s rock bottom won’t seem that bad in comparison. Does that mean that the person whose rock bottom isn’t that bad doesn’t deserve treatment? Absolutely not.

I once had a client who was in his mid-thirties, had two children, a great job, a nice house, and a really supportive wife. He was in a car accident and broke a few bones and he just did what the doctor told him to do and that was to take OxyContin. A few months later, he realized he was taking more than prescribed, and found it hard to withdrawal. He mentioned that when he was out of his prescription he would lay around the house feeling miserable, not able to get out of bed. His son asked him to play ball one day and he couldn’t. That’s when he knew he needed help. He didn’t lose his job, he didn’t lose his marriage, kids, or house, but he felt that he was in a state of crisis knowing that he did not want to continue down that path. On the outside, his rock bottom didn’t seem so bad right? But in reality, to him, it really was.

So what can you do if you start to experience a crisis? If you are someone who experiences a crisis it will be important that you have a written plan posted for you to look at. Sometimes during a crisis we can get so caught up in the moment that we don’t have the ability to think about our plan. Here are a few things you should include in your plan:

1. Recognize the warning signs. These can be physical signs or emotional signs. Either way, you must be able to recognize when your body is starting to experience a crisis.

2. Try to use your own coping strategies. What are you hobbies? Do you like to sing, draw, dance? Think about what has worked for you in the past and ask yourself if you think that would work for you again. Even if it’s something simple like watching TV or listening to music.

3. Make a list of people you can to socialize with. You do not have to talk about your crisis or your recovery with these people. This is a list of people who can help get your mind off of things. For example, maybe you could call up a friend to catch up or meet someone for coffee.

4. Now I would like you to make a list of people who can help you get out of the crisis. Maybe a sponsor or a family member. This list of people must include people who understand and know what you are going through and can offer support during this time.

5. Call, text or chat with a crisis hotline. There are many options to choose from. I have included a list here as a download.

6. Call a mental health professional. If you have a counselor or therapist keep their number on hand. They often have emergency or after hours contacts. Sometimes just getting an earlier appointment can be really helpful.

7. Keep your environment safe. If you think you may harm yourself during a crisis it is important to make sure that you feel safe. Before a crisis you might want to get rid or things that may cause you to hurt yourself. If you are feeling suicidal and have a plan, please call 911.

A crisis is an intense time and it's important to know what to do.

Recovery is a lengthy process and there are many approaches to take. I am a firm believer that people need to learn how to cope in everyday situations rather than avoid situations altogether. With that being said, for the next thirty days I am going to advise you to avoid situations that may cause you to be triggered. After the thirty days is up, you can work on easing yourself slowly back into those situations.

To avoid triggers it is important to take a look at your environment before you start this plan.

Here are some tips:

1. Get rid of paraphernalia or things around your home that represent your life during the time you’re using.

2. Avoid movies that have a lot of drug or alcohol use in them

3. Avoid music that you would listen to when you were drunk or high

4. Do not make plans to meet your alcohol or drug using friends during this time.

5. Don’t let yourself get tired or hungry

It's important to understand what may trigger you and how to overcome them.

Spiritual health is not to be confused with religion. You may or may not be religious and that’s okay.

When struggling with addiction a spiritual loss occurs. The official definition of spirituality is the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.

When using drugs or alcohol, your body is working less or more in areas that aren’t meant to be stimulated or depressed over long periods of time. It then leaves little room for you to connect with your inner self or a higher power if you have one. Once you stop drugs or alcohol you’re going to start to get to know yourself better and by doing things like yoga, journalling or meditation you’ll start to uncover and connect with something greater than yourself.

Everyone has something to offer the world and while it may take a while for you to uncover your true potentials, you are closer now than you ever were. I want you to be sure to take time every single day to reflect on the type of person you want to be.

Think of ways you can help and what do you have to offer? I don’t mean materialistic things because spirituality is not about how big your house is or what kind of car you drive. It’s more about your ability to understand that there is more to life than money, sex, and material things.

Being able to train yourself to be more empathetic and compassionate is a great start and then overtime you will start to see that there is something greater for you.

A good way to start the spiritual process or get back into it is to meditate every day. You can find a meditation app or go to youtube. But taking time every single day to reflect and connect with your inner soul will be so liberating and beneficial to your recovery.

Understanding how spirituality can play a significant role in your recovery is important! 

In this section we will talk about your social circle which includes your family, friends and professional relationships.

Navigating your social circles can be quite complicated.

The first thing you will want to do is take an inventory. My recommendation is to make a list of family members that you interact with on a daily basis. Then divide those family members into two groups.

Those will are supportive and can be helpful during your recovery and those who may make things worse for you.

I recommend that for those who may make things worse for you, you come up with a strategic plan that involves taking a small break from them during the next thirty days. I know that sometimes this may not be possible due to living situations or obligations that require you to interact with them and if that is the case then I recommend that you prepare yourself with things that you can do or say that will make each encounter minimal. For example, let’s say you have a child with a person who makes things really bad for you. You can’t necessarily completely cut them out because they are the parent of your child but you can start to make small changes where your interactions with them can be less heated or emotional. Another example would be if you are a caretaker for a parent but being around that parent really disrupts your progress. For the next thirty days take your duties as a caregiver and change your mindset. Do not engage unless it has to do with the physical care responsibility you have. This is much easier said than done but the more you get sucked in to the emotional drama that family members can create, the harder it will be to maintain your sobriety.

ON the other hand, the list that you made of those family members who can help you, use them and use them wisely. For example, is there a nurse in your family that can help you get through the physical withdrawal symptoms during detox or is your mom someone you can talk to about anything? Take time every day to reach out to those family members and let them know how much they mean to you. Having people there to support you through this can really make a difference.

Your family is important but so is your sobriety. Know when to walk away and know when to keep your relationships close.

After completing this lecture students will be able to better understand how friends and acquaintances will help or hinder their progress. Students will receive a very specific approach to dealing with friends who may not quite understand the intensity of this program.

In this lecture we will talk about how friends and acquaintances can help or hinder your progress over the next month. we talked about family and sometimes it is unfair to separate family and friends as often times it is your friends that can seem more like family then your family themselves. In this lesson though, I really want you to analyze your different friendships and look deeply into which friends are truly your friends.

Unlike family, your friends are the people that you have chosen over the timespan of your life. Some of you may have childhood friends that are still your friends now and some of you may have friends that you have just met. Either way, let’s talk about how to approach the friend situation.

The very first thing you want to do is make a mental list of friends that you use drugs or alcohol with or have used with. Also note those friends who were not your friends before you started using amphetamines and the only started to become friends with after you started using drugs or alcohol. For example, let’s say you started to use cocaine 2 years ago and 2 years ago you met a friend at a party and you both were using cocaine. Over the past two years you two have become friends. With this example of course you can think about whatever your drug of choice is and replace cocaine with that - like alcohol, opioids, and so on.

Now I want you to think about what your friendship would look like outside of drugs or alcohol. It’s normal to gain friendships and bonds over drugs and alcohol and I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever be friends with them but if they’re still using d/a and you’re trying to stop then staying close to them is a bad idea, for now anyway.

Also, I want you to think about those friends who bring toxicity to your life - we talked about toxic relationships in the family lecture but know that you can also have toxic friendships too. Those are also people you’ll need to take a break from.

The best way to do this is to send them an email or text saying something like:

“Dear friends. I have made the decision to work on helping myself get better and in order to do so I am not going to have contact with anyone over the next thirty days. Please respect my decision in this and when I am ready, I will reach out to each and every one of you. I admire and value your friendships and please understand that I need to do this for myself and/or my family.”

I want you to write down their names and numbers on a piece of paper and put that paper in a locked safe or box and do not touch that piece of paper for the next thirty days. Immediately , delete their information from your phone. If you feel the need to give them an explanation you can do so at first but make it a group message using social media, text messaging, or email. The reason that I suggest doing this as a group message is so that your friends do not take what you are doing personally. Most people, even in their darkest times can respect and accept this when a friend makes this type of decision. Without a message to your friends, they may continue to try and contact you either because they are worried or because they want to use with you. By letting them your decision, you have a better chance of getting through the next thirty days without the pressure of having to explain this to each and every friend over a period of time.

On the flip side, you may have friends who don’t use amphetamines and have always been there for you. These are friends you’ll want to hang on to and it will be important to start to rebuild relationships and trust with those friends. How do you regain trust? Two ways: not using (this takes time though) and being a kind and considerate friend. Remember, it’s not always about you so take a genuine interest in their life too.

Okay so let’s recap:When it comes to friendships you’ll need to distant yourself or completely walk away from people who:

1. You use or have used amphetamines with

2. Friends who are toxic and are constantly making you feel like you want to use amphetamines

You’ll want to make sure you stay friends with those friends are good for you - those who show you support and to do that you’ll want to :

1. Not use - remember actions speak louder than words

2. Be a kind and considerate friend.

See you in the next lecture when we talk about professional relationships

1. Now write down a list of people who do not use drugs or alcohol and can help you work through this. For those who do not use, they will likely be honored and helpful if you reach out and ask for their help.

2. You may have a list of friends who do not use but who may not be helpful either. These are friends who may not understand the severity of addiction. Maybe they are friends who think that you can just snap out of it when you’re feeling down or struggling with cravings.

Your friends play an integral role in your recovery.

Having backup plans to protect your sobriety is important.

In this section we're going to take a deep dive into your personal living situation.

This lecture has 7 key components and students will need to see which group they fall into.

This lecture has 7 key components and students will need to see which group they fall into. These groups consist of: living alone, teenagers, college aged or living with roommates, married or living with a significant other, parents, empty nesters, and retirees. Some students may fit into multiple categories so understanding each group is beneficial. After completing this lecture, students will be able to adjust their living situation or make preparations in order to be successful for thirty days and beyond.

Hello and welcome to Lecture 16! In this lecture we are going to talk about your living situation and how to manage your environment. We understand that everyone taking this course is going to have a different type of living situation. This can range from being a teenager and living at home with your parents to being retired and living alone and everything else in between.

Your living situation can make or break your success over the next thirty days and that’s why we want to talk to you about how you can manage this without causing more stress.

First, the people in your home will need to know what you’re planning to do regardless of their opinion. If they don’t know they may start to be intrusive because you will most definitely be acting different. It’s better to be honest with them right up front.

Living alone

There are pros and cons to living alone.

If you live alone, you are definitely more in control of your living environment but you don’t’ want to get lonely or bored. If loneliness or boredom is a trigger for you, you’ll need to make sure you take extra time each day to focus on the positive relationships you have. Call and text those who support you recovery often, make plans to go out with people and be sure to pick up a hobby and do things that can keep you busy.

Remember, to only invite people over that can support your recovery.

The plus is that you won’t have specific people in our space that could potentially trigger you or get i the way of your success. There are other huge pluses to living alone though and just try and remember that if you start to feel bummy about it. Living alone can give you a chance to really work through your recovery at your pace without having to answer to roommates or other people. You can truly be who you want to be and discover yourself all over again.

Teenagers

If you are a teenager or you live with your parents, you are likely going to have their support through this. This does not mean that your interactions with them won’t be difficult. They will be.

So, before you start this plan really think about how you want to spend your time at home. Will it be better and more productive if you spend more time with your family? Or, will it be easier if you spend your time alone in your room.

I am not here to tell you what is better because I do not know your situation. This is something you will have to decide which greatly depends on your relationships with your family members.

College age or living with roommates

If you are away at college or living with roommates this may be a little more difficult. If your roommates use drugs or alcohol openly in front you I want you to seriously consider whether or not there is a better living situation available.

Can you move somewhere else or stay with your parents for a while? If not, then you will need to use your time at home strategically. When are the times your roommates use drugs or alcohol? Is it normally on the weekends or in the eveinings? If so, find somewhere to go during these times. For example, you can go to the mall, movies, a coffee shop, a library (if open) etc. When is your home quiet? Maybe it’s during the day when everyone is hung over or passed out. If that’s the case then those would be good times to stay home. Take a look around and put yourself in their shoes? Is that the life you really want? A life filled with hangovers and headaches? Seeing these things soberly can really put things into perspective.

Married or living with a significant other

I can tell you right now that if your spouse or significant other is planning to use in front of you while you try and obtain sobriety, your challenge is going to be demanding. If you do not think you can handle living with someone who is using it may be better to find another living situation for the next thirty days. If that is not possible then you need to understand that this will be one of the biggest challenges you will have. If you can get through this then you a stronger than you know.

One of the things that may help in a situation like this is to lead by example. If your spouse or significant other plans to use drugs or alcohol in front of you then show them how unenjoyable it is for you. Show them how you are strong and how you can overcome the cravings and triggers. If they see that a life of sobriety can be successful they may want your help. Remember, you can’t force anyone to do something they aren’t ready for.If you are planning to get sober together then that can be really great but be careful because if one person slips then the other person is more likely to slip too. Do you think you could overcome the urge if your significant other or spouse cannot stay on board? Be prepared for that.

If your significant other or spouse is not using drugs or alcohol then it will be important that you have a conversation about how you think the next thirty days is going to go. They may not understand what changes you are about to encounter or the emotional mood swings that lay ahead. The more they learn about what you are going to go through the better prepared they can be for all of this. It’s important for them to know that this is not going to be easy and you will be moody and emotional. This is not something that just gets better within a couple of days. This is a journey and they are either on board with it or not.

Parents

Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world. A child does not deserve to have a parent who is actively using. The good news is, is that while you may feel shame, regret, or remorseful, children can easily forgive and what you do going forward can make all of the difference in the world. I promise, you can make this up to your child or children. They won’t look back and think their life was terrible. What you are about to teach them is how to overcome adversity. You are going to teach them about courage, strength, and love. Things like compassion, empathy, and love are the things necessary to be able to forgive. Your children will forgive you.

In order for all of this to happen you will need to focus on the reasons you are doing this. As a parent, the decision to become sober is not only for yourself but for your children, regardless of their age. If you live with your children full time set time aside 1-2 times per week to do something that focuses on building relationships and bringing back their trust. To do this, you must absolutely follow through every single time.

Here are some ideas of what you can do with your children:

1. Play a board game

2. Go to the park

3. Go on a bike ride

4. go on a hike

5. back something together

6. go to the movies

7. go to an arcade

8. plan a day trip

These things do not have to be long and in fact, I recommend that you start out slow but be consistent. Maybe 10-15 minutes of undivided time at first will get the ball rolling. You will start to see the amazing benefits of having this time together and as time goes on the need for more will increase.

Empty nesters

If you are an empty nester now is a great time to start his journey. Loneliness, sadness, and even depression are common feelings as you watch your children spread their wings but they are also feelings that can lead to substance abuse or addiction. If you’ve been struggling for a while it is important to take this time to reflect on how you want to spend the next few decades. Do you want to spend your time feeling sick and using drugs or alcohol? Probably not. You have so much time left and there are many things you can still do. You won’t be able to achieve any of those things if you are battling substance abuse or addiction.

Once you make this decision, it is important to have plenty of time for self reflection but at the same time, fill your down time with productive activities to help keep you busy. Here are some examples of things you can do:

1. go to church or be more involved with your church

2. think about a hobby that you have and join a group

3. Take time every day to self-reflect or write in a journal

4. Reach out to other friends or family members and make plans

Retirees

You have likely worked for most of your life and now is the time to really enjoy what you have worked so hard for. Making this decision isn’t necessarily about choice but more of a necessity. If you don’t change your ways you will not live to see all of the amazing things you know are waiting for you. You might have grandchildren or have planned to travel. If you are struggling with an addiction, those things will have to just sit on the sidelines and before you know it there will not be anytime left for you to enjoy the things you deserve.

I applaud you for making the decision to get sober. It’s not an easy thing to do. You should be very proud of yourself.

Over the next thirty days I want you to start thinking about the legacy you want to leave behind. What kind of person do you want your family to remember you as? Definitely not as an addict right? But more like someone had many challenges but was able to overcome it all. It’s not too late to make it up to those you may have hurt in the process. You will be surprised how willing people are to forgive.

Some students may fit into multiple categories so understanding each group is beneficial. After completing this lecture, students will be able to adjust their living situation or make preparations in order to be successful for thirty days and beyond.

Welcome to Day 1 of 30 days to sobriety success! We're talking nutrition and healthy eating + how it impacts recovery.

Mastering your mental health is day 2 of 30 days to sobriety success. The ability to regulate thoughts, emotions and staying mentally strong is what sets you up for long term success.

Most peole don't realise just how much their family impacts their chances of a successful recovery. This is day 3 of 30 days to sobriety success.

Setting a quit date - is it really that important? YES! Find out why in day 4 of 30 days to sobriety success.

Ugh! The gym. It's the worst for most people but fitness is really important to a successful recovery. So, what can you do? Watch day 5 of 30 days to sobriety success.

Developing a deeper spiritual practice has been shown to support your addiction recovery journey. Watch day 6 of 30 days to sobriety success to find out more.

Sometimes your friend group can actually be really bad for your sobriety. Find out who the good friends and bad friends are and what to do about them in Day 7 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success.

Does everyone relapse? What you need to know! This is day 8 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success.

Did you know that work can be a major reason for struggling during sobriety? It's true! Welcome to day 9 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success.

You made it! This is day 10 of 30 days to sobriety success and we're talking about people, places and things. You're going to love this one!

Sleep. We all need it and chances are you aren't getting enough of it. But... did you know it impacts your sobriety? Watch more in Day 11 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success.

Intentional living is a powerful, powerful thing. It gives you complete dominion and domain over your life. Something you DEFINITELY need in sobriety. Day 12 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success.

If you want to succeed in being sober for the long term you have got to learn how to manage triggers like a FRIGGIN BOSS. You're watching day 13 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success.

What on earth does H.A.L.T. mean and why should you be paying attention to it? Find out in Day 14 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success

Wait...why does keeping your home clean make any difference to your ability to get and stay sober? Keeping your living space clean has plenty of benefits. Let's dive in to 30 Days of Sobriety Success Day 15

Sugar. Look it isn't great for you under normal circumstances but when you're suffering from addiction it can be easy to succumb to its dangers. We'll talk through what these are in Day 16 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success

n Day 17 of 30 Days to Sobriety Success, we're examining the powerful activity of journaling. I really recommend to everyone that they journal regularly and here are some reasons why!

You've got to be mentally prepared and ready for sobriety. It's hard work to get and stay in recovery so preparing a strong mind is key to your success.

Reading is a powerful way to up your personal understanding of life. Reading also helps you feel better too!

One persons crisis is not the same as another. So, how do you get crisis support in times of need? Who can you reach out to when your sober journey is under attack?

There are lots of ways to get help with your addiction and online addiction recovery programs have exploded thanks to the pandemic. But will an online support program actually help you?

Like the title of this video says, sometimes you just want to connect with someone in person. If that's you, then you need to do what is necessary to make that happen. It's crucial for your recovery so make an effort to ensure it becomes a reality.

Money. It's critically important in todays society and very important for anyone in recovery. Get your finances in order so you can start making real progress on your life goals.

Everyone today wants instant results. Social media has fueled us to believe that we can get everything we want in a short time. However, going slow and steady is the foundation of recovery from drug and alcohol or even porn abuse.

Grief comes in many different shapes and sizes. People often feel as though grief is just relegated to the loss of a loved one or a pet. Grief is actually more complex than that so lets dig in and find out how it affects addiction and recovery.

It's time to talk about how to be sober around drunk people and enjoy it. It's a hard topic to cover but you need to know what it will be like when you are having to spend time around other people who may be partaking in your addiction and you are in recovery.

Sobriety can be a dangerous thing - sometimes you find yourself trading one addiction for another. Find out why that's a potential problem in today's video.

What is a dry drunk and how do you know if you are one? Here are some signs that you're actually dry drunk right now and what to do about it.

What's the point of being sober? We get asked this question ALL the time.

It's the final day of our 30 Days to Sobriety Success series and it's the most important one - TAKE ACTION! That's right - none of this means ANYTHING if you can't or won't take the action needed.

Congratulations! You’ve reached a huge milestone and you should be very proud of the progress you’ve made and will continue to make. Now that you’ve finished the course, you should start to implement all of the strategies that we’ve been talking about. You can continue to power through your recovery by going back to certain lectures if needed, posting in our Q&A forum and joining our closed Facebook group. Now that you’ve completed the course it would be helpful if you could give other students feedback or motivation - how did you do it, what strategies did you use to stick with it? As always, I’m here and available to answer any questions. Congratulations again!

You made it! Now your journey begins.