One of the biggest worries after getting treatment for substance use is that you’ll relapse. It’s hard to find that balance between living in fear and not taking your sobriety seriously at all. That sweet spot in between is being able to recognize the signs that you might be falling into old habits. Thinking that just one drink, or one hit, at a party is O.K. can lead you right down the road to relapse. Recognizing the pattern of your own addictive behaviors will help you with preventing relapse. A quality relapse prevention program, like the one at Solutions Based Treatment and Detox, can help prepare you for life after rehab. Our treatment team works with each person to ensure they have the skills they need to avoid relapse and achieve lifelong recovery.
Recognizing Relapse Signs
There are very distinct warning signs that lead up to a relapse. Recognizing them is the first step to avoiding a relapse. One of the most common signs is romanticizing drug use. It seems counterintuitive, and it is. There is no logic to looking back on your days of drug use in a positive and nostalgic way, yet it happens exactly like that. This can be a hugely dangerous trigger. One where you trick your brain into forgetting the hell you put yourself through. Where you think you could use drugs or alcohol again, and it wouldn’t be a big deal. The reality is that it’s just one step away from a full relapse.
Make a Relapse Prevention Plan
Having a go-to relapse prevention plan will keep you focused on your recovery instead of worrying about falling victim to addiction again. Here are things that should be top of mind and part of your everyday plan.
Recognize Triggers
Knowing the things that can easily tempt you to use again is probably the most important relapse prevention technique you can have in your “sober toolbox.” When you understand your own weaknesses and what can easily trigger you, then you’ll be in a better position to manage your recovery.
Get Support
It’s important to surround yourself with people who fully support your sober lifestyle. That could also involve cutting ties with people who are not supportive of your new life because, in the end, that can make room in your life for more people to support you and look out for what’s best for you.
Take Care of You
Keep your mind and body busy with plenty of healthy activities to keep your mind off of drinking or using drugs. That can include calming activities like meditation or aerobic heart-pumping exercise to work out stress. Pick what feels good to you and makes you happy. If the people and things you used to prioritize have fallen by the wayside, consider an addiction treatment program. You’ll have many to choose from, but it’s best to choose a California rehab that offers the following programs:
- Medical detox
- Residential drug treatment
- Intensive outpatient program
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Sober living program
- Rock to Recovery
Contact Solution Based Treatment & Detox To Learn More
Addiction is a disease, and the bottom line is that relapse is always possible. If relapse occurs, it makes the road to recovery just that much harder. Our goal at Solution Based Treatment is to arm you with the tools you need to recognize and address the signs of relapse before it happens. Let us help you stay focused on your recovery and staying sober.
Contact the Solution-Based Treatment and Detox team at 833.999.1941 to learn more about our relapse prevention and all of our treatment programs.