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Substance abuse recovery can be a challenge for many people, and one way to stay sober is to replace your drug or alcohol abuse with more meaningful activities instead. This will help you occupy your mind and keep your body busy, so that you have less time to think about your old habits and experience cravings for your substance of choice.

When you have a sense of purpose and your life has meaning you are less likely to start abusing drugs or alcohol again. Instead of thinking about drug or alcohol abuse you can use your substance abuse recovery to try and make the world a better place for others. Helping less fortunate people can also make you realize that you are throwing away your life, and that there are others who have it far worse than you do.

There are many ways that you can prevent relapse and give back, and these include:

• Adopt a pet who needs a home. Many shelters are full of animals that will be put down because no one wants them. A pet provides unconditional love, and taking care of their needs will help you focus on something other than drug or alcohol abuse.
• Volunteer in your community. Work in a soup kitchen, spend time helping out at a homeless shelter, or just look for people who need assistance of some kind.
• Take care of yourself, and this means plenty of exercise on a regular basis. When you get exercise you relieve stress, boost your mood, and stay healthier.
• Create goals that are meaningful, and then work towards your objectives one step at a time.
• Start a new hobby to occupy yourself and prevent cravings and a potential relapse.