If you've been dealing with alcohol addiction, going through rehab is a good way to jump-start your recovery and get started on a path towards a better life. But your struggle does not end the day you leave rehab. Once you are home, you must continue to take steps to stay sober and leave your addiction in the past. Here are a few tips for life after rehab.

1. Don't keep alcohol in the home.

If you did not clear out all of the alcohol from your home before you left for rehab, do it now. Gather everything into a box, and either give it to a friend (someone who uses alcohol responsibly) or throw it away. You don't want it there to tempt you when you have a night of weakness. Don't use the excuse that you're keeping it around to serve friends when they visit, either. True friends will understand that you can't have alcohol in your home due to your addiction, and they won't expect a drink when they come over.

2. Take up a new hobby.

Chances are, before you went to rehab, a lot of your time was spent hanging out at the bar and engaging in other drinking-related activities. If you don't want to go back to those activities, you need to replace them with new ones. Take up a new, affordable hobby to take the place of drinking. Running, jogging, playing tennis, geocaching, hiking, sewing, and cooking are all good ones! 

3. Join a local support group.

Find a local support group that meets once a week, or enroll in a 12-step program. You may be past the worst of your addiction, but you will need to keep working on recovery if you want to avoid a relapse. If there are not a lot of support groups in your area, see if you can find an individual therapist who deals with addiction. Even meeting with someone one-on-one every week or two is better than nothing.

4. Keep your distance from bad influences.

Think about all of the people in your life. If there is anyone in your life who does not support your recovery and is likely to urge you to drink—whether intentionally or unintentionally—that is a relationship better left in your past. Surround yourself with positive people, and when forming new relationships, make sure the people you form them with are supportive of your ongoing sobriety.

Speak to an alcohol addiction treatment professional for more tips.

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