Top Tips to Prevent Addiction Relapse
One of the steps to prevent addiction relapse is to recognize that addiction to drugs is a disease in itself. Therefore, making a decisive choice to stop using substances is not as easy as most people think especially if an addiction has already developed. It may take a lot of time, practice and patience, not to mention self-discipline to avoid relapse. Just because relapses are normal, it does not mean that someone should not make an effort to fight them. These are some of the top tips to prevent addiction relapse:
- Engaging in long term addiction treatment
- Identify relapse triggers and learn how to manage them
- Being honest
- Asking for help
- Changing your lifestyle.
Below I have explained the steps you can follow to avoid a relapse.
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Prevent addiction relapse by engaging in a long term addiction treatment
Prevent addiction relapse
Just like in any other chronic disease, treatment for addiction is not a quick fix. One time medication or a month of therapy cannot guarantee you a complete solution. For a long term addiction relapse prevention, you might want to get involved in a long term intensive treatment which should be followed by a continuous support system. According to research, active participation in a treatment process can significantly reduce the risk of addiction relapse. Individuals who are at risk or relapsing should also be offered a continuous support from their counsellors to prevent addiction relapse.
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Identify triggers and know how to manage them in an effort to prevent addiction relapse
A good treatment plan should help you identify things that remind you of your former life in substance abuse and how you can manage the feeling of wanting to go back to that life. Triggers may include general activities such as being around people who are still in substance abuse or certain places that remind you of the former life. These two are the most common triggers. Emotions can also trigger relapse, especially for individuals who were into substance abuse as a way to cope with stressful situations. Therapy sessions will help you identify each one of these triggers and present a doable management plan so that you can successfully prevent addiction relapse
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To prevent addiction relapse, be honest
Relapse and the better part of addiction require constant lying and denying that you are relapsing or already fully on addiction again. You will find that you are always hiding the addiction substances and denying it if somebody asks you if you are still using them. This will gradually lead you to lie to yourself because the moment you find that you are not being completely honest it is a sign of emotional relapse. There is a saying that you are as sick as the addiction secrets you keep. If you ask counsellors, one of the most challenging things in an addiction therapy institute is how to teach the patients how to tell the truth. They are also taught the importance of admitting when they are not totally truthful and how to correct their mistakes quickly. One test to gauge your honesty is if you are honest to the point that it is uncomfortable. At this point, on the right track to prevent addiction relapse.
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Ask for help to assist you to prevent addiction relapse
Most people struggling with addiction always attempt to go at it alone. They are still trying to show that they can manage their dependencies and that they are not as sick as people may think. The best solution is joining a self-help group. This will help with the long term recovery process. Some of the benefits of joining a self-help group are that the patient will never feel alone in the journey to recovery. They will always be in the company of other individuals who are also undergoing treatment, and this way, they can have the moral support they need to complete the treatment and prevent addiction relapse.
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Practice self-care that will help you prevent addiction relapse
Prevent addiction relapse
Understanding self-care is one of the methods used in the center for substance abuse treatment in California to help the patients recognize the reasons why they were in substance abuse in the first place, and how to manage these reasons so that they are not tempted to relapse. It also helps them to identify other healthy options for solving the issues that have lead them to addiction. There is a distinct difference, however, between self-care and selfishness. To learn self-help methods, most people always end up being selfish instead. For this reason, the services of a counsellor are required to guide you through self-help recognition process and avoid falling into selfishness.
Conclusion
The most important note in recovery and avoiding relapse is to know that avoiding the addictive substances is not the only step needed. Recovery requires an individual to create a new life in which they will not need the substances for survival. At the Alcohol & Drug Rehab Center, we will help you make significant changes in your lifestyle towards a future that is fruitful and free of substance abuse. The center for substance abuse treatment in California will take you through a long term process, that will eliminate the risk of relapse. Come to us, and we will walk with you through the journey to recovery.
