It is usually not enough to just stop abusing the drugs or alcohol. An addicted person can sometimes go days, weeks, even months without abusing drugs. They accomplish this with will power alone. However, when they begin using again, most will pick up where they left off. The addicted person quickly losing control of how much and how often they use. A key element of maintaining long term sobriety is learning how to have fun and enjoy life again without abusing alcohol or drugs. When the drug misuse is stopped, the brain continues to heal. It begins more of the pleasure chemicals that are necessary to achieve natural highs. The goal is to not just achieve sobriety. It is more about developing a quality recovery lifestyle. Think back to when you were a young child. Do you remember playing games with your friends, getting lost in an imaginary world? Or the excitement on the night before Christmas thinking about the joy that awaits you in the morning. The thrill of that first kiss or when your team wins the championship are all examples of natural highs. Our brain chemistry provides us with a vast array of pleasurable experiences and feelings. We come completely equipped with everything we need to enjoy life. As our drug misuse continues to progress, we begin to develop the belief that we need an external substance or drug to experience joy. We can become so lost in our addiction that we feel we cannot survive without our substance. But that is the big lie. In truth, our brains will heal, and we will return to enjoying life naturally again. As addiction progresses, the process of getting and using the drugs becomes more and more of an obsession. This often robs us of our other interests and passions. There are many things to consider as you learn to develop quality sobriety. One of them is balance. Trying to achieve a healthy balance between work and play, as well as alone time and family, can be challenging. This is also the time to renew old hobbies and interests or acquire new ones. Rekindling the passion and meaning in life can be a wonderful journey. Fishing, camping, playing a musical instrument, travel, sewing, biking, sports, church, support groups, volunteering to help others, date night with your partner, gardening, photography, and taking a class are just a few of the endless number of things that people recovering from addiction enjoy. Be careful not to fall into the rut of just working and sleeping. Ask your counselor for help and be willing to experience new things. Many opiate dependents develop all or nothing thinking. Allow your counselor to help you build an enjoyable quality sober lifestyle.