Going through drug rehab is only the first step of recovery. There are many, many challenges that arise during the quest for a sober life. Your commitment to staying clean will be met with frequent obstacles, like triggers and stressors, that might compel you to revisit your old habits. The risk of relapse remains a constant concern, even for people who are still in treatment. The transition back into the real world can pose many threats to a recovering addict’s sobriety.
People who have suffered from addiction have a high possibility for relapse: if you use at any given point, you will find yourself back at square one. There are several environmental, personal, societal, and emotional triggers that can easily coerce you back towards your addictive behavior, especially if you are unable to implement proper relapse prevention tactics.
There is no secret to avoiding relapse. You will have to dedicate yourself and truly commit to the process in order to resist using and staying sober. This blog aims to discuss four tips that can help prevent relapse and keep your life on the right track:
- Know Your Triggers
Triggers are the main source of relapse. If you want to avoid relapse, you must identify the reasons that compel you to use. Triggers can be events, emotions, activities, people, or any sensory experience you associate with using your substance of choice.You may feel these triggers working on you when you see other people doing drugs. This might remind you of when you used to use, and cause an overwhelming temptation to engage all over again.A trigger can also be a location. The pub where you used to drink, or a childhood home that brought brings painful memories; both can bring about negative feelings that lead you to finding relief in drugs.
Your emotions are triggers too. Feelings like frustration, anxiety, stress, and even excitement can stimulate the urge to use, either to enhance the emotion or mask it completely.
Identifying your triggers is very important because knowing what your weaknesses are plays a vital role in preventing relapse. If people using drugs serve as a trigger for you, cut them out of your life and make new friends. If it’s the pub on your way home from work, consider changing your route. You can develop a trigger management plan with the help of your rehab counselor to avoid relapse.
- Limit the Exposure
Environmental factors, as you learned, have a strong role in triggering drug addiction practices. The more the environment exposes you to harmful acts, the more vulnerable you become to falling back into your addiction. To avoid relapse, you must limit your exposure to drugs and their related elements. Working at a club when you are freshly out of rehab means you are deliberately putting yourself in danger: the people around you are drinking heavily, and more than likely on some type of drug.You should also avoid socializing with people who are either abusing drugs, or cast a negative influence on your life in any way. These are toxic relationships that you should cut off immediately These decisions to limit direct exposure to drugs will help you in leading a successful, sober life. - Have a Strong Support System
While cutting ties with toxic relationships, you should make an effort to embrace the supportive ones around you. To maintain sobriety, it is important to stay close to the people that encourage you to lead a healthy life and maintain positive practices.It is not easy to give up on old friends, but if they are casting a negative impact on your recovery, it’s time to say goodbye. This does not necessarily mean that their actions are related to literal drug exposure: a negative influence can also be someone that causes feelings of stress or anxiety. If being around a person makes you consider using because of the emotions you feel in their presence, it means they are harmful to your recovery and have the power to trigger a relapse. You need positive and supportive people in your social circle that will help you when you stagger, and encourage you towards constructive habits. - Keep Yourself Motivated
The only way to maintain sobriety is if you yourself are determined to stay clean. You need to keep yourself motivated throughout the process, and remind yourself that living a clean, fulfilled life is your utmost priority. You can accomplish this by consistently establishing goals for yourself.They do not have to be complex or time consuming. Even simple targets like taking a morning walk in the park, eating a healthy meal, or going to sleep on time: these healthy activities will help keep your mind content with positive feelings such as accomplishment and success. This will reduce the stress on your mind and keep it from wandering toward negative thoughts.
Drug addiction recovery is a challenging process, but getting the right help can make the journey much easier. Scottsdale Recovery Center has been successful in achieving positive outcomes for many years, and we pride ourselves in the long-term sobriety rate of our patients.
We provide professionals who can help you overcome your addictive behavior, and support you throughout the entire process so that you are able to master the skills that prevent relapse. Contact us at 1.602.346.9142 (1.888.663.7874) to know more about our different programs and services, and how you can benefit from our treatments.
