Recovering from drug addiction is difficult enough as is, and you may not be surprised to know that even after drug rehab – it’s not going to be easy. Even if you’re set on avoiding a relapse, temptation and bodily needs can get the better of you if you’re not prepared to deal with them.
If you’re new to recovering and addiction treatment, you should know that relapsing isn’t rare, and it could happen to you if you don’t know how to avoid it.
Here are 7 ways you can avoid relapsing:
Finding your triggers
One of the major reasons giving up these addictions is so difficult is that your need for them becomes stronger after experiencing a trigger. A trigger can be anything, and it can make it very difficult to distance yourself from your addiction if you’re frequently experiencing said triggers.
If you’re going to avoid relapsing in the future, it would be best to know what those triggers are. Speaking with an addiction counselor can help you to identify what your triggers are, how to avoid your triggers, and how to move past those triggers if they’re unavoidable.
Keep busy
The less time you’re thinking about any kind of substance, the better. It can be frightfully easy to relapse if you’re constantly bored with nothing to do, which is why it’s important that you seek activities to keep your mind busy and optimistic. Take up sports, try painting or drawing, and learn something new. Anything that you can do to occupy your time in a way that you enjoy.
Avoid contact
Of course, as much as you may want to kick your old habits, that doesn’t always mean the same for those you spend time with. If you know people who are still abusing substances, it would be better for you to avoid them if you’re going to prevent yourself from relapsing. While it may sound difficult, it’s essential that you’re not falling into the habit of being around the same substances you were addicted to.
See a counselor
There are counselors who are there to help you avoid your substance, as well as teach you ways to avoid relapsing. Speaking about your addiction with a friend or loved one can be difficult, and you can’t expect them to offer helpful advice if they’ve had no prior experience with it. Counselors can offer a wide range of therapies to help you better understand and overcome your addiction.
Change up your lifestyle
While getting rid of your bad habits, it doesn’t hurt to replace them with new ones. Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet and sleep schedule can help you to feel much healthier on a day-to-day basis. Feeling healthy can help significantly after leaving an addiction treatment center.
Setting goals
Sometimes in life, motivation only comes from a display of progress, and without goals – it can be hard to track how much progress you’ve made. Programs like AA have their twelve steps, as well as the chips to show how far you’ve made it. Though it may seem small, these chips symbolize a huge change in your life.
Know how to spot relapse
Sometimes relapsing can happen without you noticing, and by the time you’ve realized it, it’s too hard to stop. If you knew how to see a relapse in its early stages, you could help yourself or a friend who has struggled with substance abuse. Look out for signs that you’re returning to your old habits.