8 ways to avoid relapse after rehab
After a long fight against addiction, you are finally sober. You may be feeling on top of the world, or you may be feeling at your lowest point. Either way, it’s important to remember that there is still much more work to do as a after alcohol & drug rehab. The first few months after leaving rehab are notoriously hard for recovering addicts and it can be easy to fall back into old bad habits and triggers.
Here are some ideas for recovering addicts that can be used to prevent relapses:
1. Mindset: Understand why you have overcome your addiction. If it was not for the intervention of others, how could you have ever gotten clean? Once you understand how life could be without drugs or alcohol, you will be able to accept your success. They say that we all have two demons in us; the devil on our shoulder and the angel on our shoulder. That is true of everyone who has ever been clean, but it is also true of those that have tried to conquer their addiction and failed. Jason Shiers of Wide World Coaching says “If you are this person who has failed and relapses, keep going” learn from the mistakes and successes of others who did not fail. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel; learn from the mistakes of others and use those techniques to fight your own addiction.
2. Begin the Lifestyle: The lifestyle of a recovering addict is necessary for long term sobriety. Figure out what works for you and embrace it. If attending 12 step meetings works, then attend as many as possible. If not, then find another activity that works. One trick is making your own activity out of an old routine that contributed to your addiction such as finding a new hobby or exercise buddy. What worked for someone else might not work for you, but find methods that work for you or create new ones!
3. Look to the Future: Make a plan for what you want and need to do in your life, but also look to the future. What goals do you have? What are your goals for the future? Avoid getting too wrapped up in the past especially if those past experiences were moments of being high or drunk. Let go of the past and focus on your future!
4. Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help: The hardest part of recovery is sometimes admitting that there is a problem that needs solving. When someone comes back from rehab, it’s easy to think that things will get better; after all, we’ve done it before. This mind-set can lead one down a path that leads straight back into addiction… or worse. Don’t get stuck in this mind-set. After all, we are still addicts and we still have addiction in the back of our minds at all times. We will always be looking for ways to get “that next hit”. It is necessary to seek help from others!
5. Be Prepared: Have your own plan for what works for you, but also have plans when you don’t know what will work. If you don’t know what to do, then figure it out! Determine the methods that work best for you and the situations that prevent you from doing so or cause problems with those methods. For example, if you need an answer from another person but you are not able to find that person, then make up a plan. Resolve your issues in one step at a time and remember to start with the small steps. The first five steps actually are the hardest!
6. Be Grateful: Make your life better! Create healthy habits and carry out healthy activities with others who are sober or recovering as well as positive people who can help you stay sober. Take all of the things that have helped make sobriety possible for you and be thankful for them every day!
7. Be Realistic: Understand what is realistic for your situation. Even though relapses are common at the beginning of recovery, there is no need to worry about one happening. With determination and the right mind-set, it is possible to be sober and relapse free. Just keep remembering that you’re on a journey to recovery and appreciate the fact that you’ve made it this far!
8. Get Help: Be willing to seek help from a professional or professional organization for any issues that may prevent long term sobriety. Take advantage of all of the support resources available to those in recovery especially by PODS (People on Drugs Sobriety Support). They can lead you towards all kinds of things to do for yourself as well as finding local support groups for living sober in your area!
