People start to consume alcohol and drugs for various reasons. Starting from experimenting to social drinking and consuming drugs under peer pressure, there can be a variety of reasons for an individual to start using these things. But it won’t take long for these binge drinking or one-time things to become a habit. You may not even notice when those social drinking and experimentation have become a necessity for you.
Even though the process of becoming completely dependent on alcohol or other illicit substance is smooth and may appear very natural, it will be challenging and takes up a lot of will to recover from the addiction. But more than recovering from addiction, the process of relapsing can be traumatizing. People may feel guilty or develop a sense of shame when they start to relapse.
Since there is always a chance for individuals to relapse, it is better to take some preventive measures. Let us discuss the most beneficial prevention strategies to avoid any possibility of relapse.
1. Take the help of addiction treatments
It is very difficult to recover and free yourself from complete addiction alone. Therefore it is best to take the help of an addiction treatment center like Daybreak inpatient rehab near Philly to break out of the chain. As alcoholism varies from person to person, such treatment centers will monitor and provide customized strategies for each individual. They will provide a safe and secure place that will help an individual stay active, thus preventing any possibility of relapse. The various treatment programs starting from detox to inpatient facilities and outdoor programs will help the individual to heal and teach them to stay without drugs and alcohol.
2. Create a proper schedule and plan for aftercare
According to studies, nearly 40% to 60% of people relapse after treatments. Therefore individuals need to create effective aftercare plans to stay sober and not jump back to their old habits. The plans may vary from outdoor activities, community care services, counseling, and several meetings. To stay sober, an individual must stay active and should be committed to the cause. They should strictly adhere to the plans and follow the instruction properly.
3. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people
Trying to overcome addiction can be daunting. Until the individual is fully cured, they will have the urge and thoughts of relapsing. Therefore it is very important to surround yourself with positive and supportive people. When an individual has a support network with whom they can share their thoughts or call when they are feeling lonely, they will feel accountable.
One of the main things to avoid the temptation of consuming alcohol or illicit substances is to stay active. With a good support group, an addicted individual can go out, talk freely, and stay active, thus will stay away from unhealthy thoughts.
4. Self-care
One important step to avoid relapsing to alcohol or drugs is to take good care of oneself. It is very common for an individual who is recovering from addiction to feel tired. They may suffer from various conditions including insomnia and anxiety. They may feel like consuming the drugs to overcome these post-withdrawal symptoms.
To avoid or reduce the symptoms that can cause relapse, having a proper diet, physical activities, and proper sleep is very important. Eating a healthy diet, along with good sleep and exercise will help in reducing the chance of relapse.
5. Identify your triggers
People usually turn back to their old habits when they have encountered the triggering factors. Try to identify the factors that cause stress, make you angry, or anxious. A trigger can also be your old friend group or something that reminds you of past events. Once you identify the triggers, you can avoid them, thus reducing the possibility of relapse.
Even though following all these strategies may seem difficult at first, it will become easier with time and practice. Remember why you are doing it and stay committed to the cause.
