Life in recovery from addiction is much more complex than just getting the necessary help in the form of intervention and/or rehabilitation. After getting the required attention both medically and otherwise, the time period that comes after is very important as it can determine the possibility (or not) of a relapse.

Returning to a normal and happy life after successfully defeating an addiction is quite difficult but not impossible. Finding the urge to move on with life when everyone tries to show different treatment towards you as an addiction survivor is a daunting task that takes a lot of willpower to navigate successfully, but with the right steps and lifestyle choices, the task can be made easier.

Researchers agree that the happier a person is after battling and recovering from an addiction issue, the less likely they are to have a relapse. Listed below are five ways steps to ensure a happy life during recovery from addiction.

1. Pursue a hobby. This time is the best period to undertake those things that bring out one’s creativity. Doing something in which there is so much interest makes it harder to relapse into the conditions that created the addiction in the first place.

Hobbies may include sports, painting, writing and so on, but the moment they are being explored, so much time is expended on them such that it becomes difficult to find time to return to the addiction of the past.

2. Volunteer: doing some volunteer work can bring on the feeling of fulfillment. It registers on the psyche as the individual’s ability to do something good. This kind of situation activates the brain’s reward systems and fills a void that was left by the drugs he or she was addicted to in the past.

3. Reach out to friends and family: Friends and family members are invaluable at this point in time. They can help to provide necessary love and support which are the two most important elements of maintaining personal happiness especially at this point in time. Their support can be by way of helping to avoid possible pitfalls that may hamper one’s progress. For example, family members may decide to have parties without alcohol for the sake of another member who just finished battling alcohol addiction. In this case, the only other alternative is to sit out the party entirely – which is the polar opposite of trying to be happy.

4. Celebrate little things: relapses are very common after a successful battle with addiction, so little milestones need to be celebrated in order to push for bigger ones. Staying off the object of addiction for a short period of time (like one week) is a major step, celebrating it means aiming for one month and the memory of the joy that came from the first milestone will drive you on for the next time.

5. Seek addiction support: there cannot be too much of professional input in these kinds of cases, make contact with specialists in handling post recovery patients and meet with others who have fought similar battles and integrated themselves happily back into their lives.