Relapse is a common part of recovery, but it doesn’t have to be. Your early sobriety is the most crucial time for recovery. You’re working on developing new habits, and it’s important that you continue to stay sober during this time. It’s also tempting to start going back to old habits again because your old friends are back in your life. Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process and it takes an enormous amount of effort, focus, will power, and determination to stay sober. Once you are in recovery, you will be faced with many challenges that can make sober living difficult, especially if you don’t have the right support system in place (or if your support system isn’t helping).
Tips to prevent relapse after a successful recovery from addiction:
- Develop a support system: Surround yourself with people who will support your recovery and provide encouragement. This can include friends, family, support groups, or a therapist.
- Create a plan for dealing with triggers: Identify situations or events that may trigger a relapse and plan how you will handle them.
- Practice self-care: Take care of your physical and emotional well-being by eating well, getting enough sleep, exercising, and engaging in activities that bring you joy.
- Seek professional help: Consider seeking addiction recovery help and working with a therapist or counselor to address underlying issues that may have contributed to your addiction.
- Stay involved in recovery: Attend addiction recovery program meetings, continue therapy or counseling, and participate in other recovery-related activities.
- Practice mindfulness: learn techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and visualization to help you stay focused and calm in moments of stress or temptation.
- Avoid high-risk situations: Avoid people, places, and things that are associated with your addiction.
- Be honest with yourself and others: Acknowledge if you are struggling and reach out for help when needed.
Tools to deal with situations that may trigger relapse
- Distraction techniques: Find something to do that will take your mind off the urge to use, such as going for a walk, calling a friend, or doing a puzzle.
- Relaxation techniques: Practice deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or yoga to help calm your mind and body.
- Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you process them and understand what is triggering your urge to use.
- Mindfulness practices: Mindfulness practices such as meditation or mindfulness can help you stay present and focused on the present moment, rather than dwelling on past experiences or cravings.
- Positive self-talk: Remind yourself of the reasons why you decided to stop using and the progress you have made in your recovery.
- Coping mechanisms: Learn new coping mechanisms to deal with stress and difficult emotions, such as exercise, art therapy, or social support.
- Seek support: Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist for addiction recovery help and encouragement.
- Have an emergency contact: Have a specific person you can call when you feel the urge to use.
Staying positive during the exhausting process of addiction recovery
- Remember your motivation: Remind yourself of the reasons why you decided to start your recovery journey and focus on the benefits of being sober.
- Celebrate small wins: Recovery is a process, not a destination. Celebrate every small step forward, no matter how small it may seem.
- Keep a gratitude journal: Write down things that you are grateful for in your life, no matter how small they may seem. This can help shift your focus away from negative thoughts and emotions.
- Practice self-care: Taking care of your physical and emotional well-being is important for maintaining a positive attitude. This can include activities such as exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep.
- Connect with others: Having a strong support system is essential for recovery. Surround yourself with people who understand and support your journey.
- Find a hobby: Engage in activities that bring you joy, such as art, music, or sports. This can help take your mind off your addiction and give you a sense of purpose.
- Get professional help: therapy or counseling can help you work through underlying issues that may have contributed to your addiction and help you learn positive coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and difficult emotions.
- Keep a positive attitude: Remember that recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. It may be challenging at times, but staying positive and persistent will help you achieve your goals.
Conclusion
- Addiction recovery is a challenging and often exhausting process. However, by developing a support system, creating a plan for dealing with triggers, practicing self-care, seeking professional help, staying involved in recovery, practicing mindfulness, avoiding high-risk situations, and being honest with yourself and others, one can significantly decrease the chances of relapse and enjoy sober living.
- Additionally, tools such as distraction techniques, relaxation techniques, journaling, mindfulness practices, positive self-talk, coping mechanisms, and having an emergency contact, can help one deal with situations that may trigger relapse.
- To stay positive during this process, one can remind oneself of the motivation to start recovery, celebrate small wins, keep a gratitude journal, practice self-care, connect with others, find a hobby, and keep a positive attitude.
At Dallas Sober Living Houses, we are dedicated to providing the tools to help you with a successful recovery while you are with us and tools that you can take with you to practice to enjoy sobriety for years. Contact us for more about our sober living houses!
