Avoid Relapse after Rehabilitation Period
Drug addiction is an illness. Therefore, deciding to stop using addictive substances after developing an addiction is not easy. Recovering from addiction requires time, practice, and patience. And, relapse is possible even for people with the strongest willpower. But, no matter how challenging overcoming addiction seems, the effort that a person puts in their recovery is worth it.
Recovering from drug addiction is an ongoing process. Undergoing treatment is just an aspect of the recovery process. Some people may not relapse once they get sober. However, the experience is different for others. Anybody that has completed their addiction program at specialized rehabs near me or even thinking about quitting their use of addictive substances should be prepared to avoid relapsing. Rehabilitation centers help people to deal with addiction and psychological disorders caused by drugs or alcohol. Rehabs like this are very important.
Preventing a Relapse with 5 Simple Rules
Once a person decides to overcome addiction, they need to do more than just search for ‘rehab near me’ and visit the nearest treatment facility. The process of recovering from drug addiction requires a person to be prepared for the challenges that follow. To avoid relapse after the recovery period, here are the major rules to follow.
1. Avoid Triggers
The best approach to relapse prevention is avoiding triggers. People have different triggers of addictive substance use. For some people, any situation where alcohol and drug use is an aspect of the culture is their trigger.
Clubs, bars and raves, homes of colleagues, and friends who use addictive substances, as well as, some parts of college campuses create triggering situations. When recovering from alcohol or drug addiction, individuals are tempted to visit these places. Some will do it trying to prove that they can lead sober lives.
But, this should be avoided by anybody serious about leading a sober life. Avoiding situations or places that are likely to tempt a person to use addictive substances is important, especially during the early stages of the recovery process. That’s because the temptations can be very strong at this time.
2. Avoid Toxic Friends
When a person decides to search for ‘drug rehab near me’ and undergo treatment for addiction, they are ready to change how they live. But, this change should involve more than quitting the use of addictive substances. It should involve a complete lifestyle change. This includes changing the routine and places that a person used to spend free time.
What’s more, a person that wants to recover from drug addiction should avoid toxic friends. These are people that can discourage a person from leading a sober life. Spending your time with individuals that use addictive substances is not an option for a person that wants to avoid relapse after a rehabilitation period. A person that buys or sells alcohol or drugs for an individual that wants to overcome addiction is not their best friend.
3. Establish a Support Network of Sober and Positive People
Overcoming an addiction entails more than just searching for ‘drug rehab centers near me’ online. It also involves enduring withdrawal symptoms and facing triggers after treatment. To overcome these challenges, a recovering addict needs help and support from counselors, therapists, medical professionals, and loved ones.
Navigating sobriety along is almost impossible. And, that’s not how you are expected to go about it. Research has shown that social support is important in the process of recovering from drug addiction.
Therefore, recovering addicts should have sober, healthy, and positive people around them throughout the recovery process. These should support and help them during their low points while reminding them of their reasons for deciding to get sober. Therefore, make sure that you’re surrounded by positive individuals that do not use substances and support your drug-free lifestyle. Such people may include friends, family members, and individuals met during support group meetings.
4. Maintain Continuous Therapy
Financial, economical, social, and health issues can prompt a person to search for ‘drug rehabs near me’ online and proceed to get treatment. However, a recovering addict will have to confront these issues after undergoing treatment. As such, they should learn to deal with them without using drugs.
Continuing weekly appointments with their support groups or therapists is a great way to remain in therapy and ensure a healthy transition. By doing this, a recovering addict gets coping mechanisms that they need to achieve and maintain sobriety.
5. Take the Prescribed Medications
This is very important for addicts with a dual diagnosis. Taking the prescribed medications will help with mental health while preventing relapse. Psychological disorders like depression and anxiety can contribute to alcohol and drug use. In most cases, medicines can be used to control their symptoms. But, the absence of symptoms doesn’t mean that a person is cured. Therefore, take medications as prescribed by the physician to ensure your recovery and prevent a relapse.
The Bottom Line
You need to do more than search for ‘drug counseling near me’ online to beat addiction and avoid a relapse. However, it’s important to remember that relapse can happen to anyone. If it happens to you, don’t consider yourself a failure. Instead, try to get sober and clean again with the health of professionals and your support system.
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