Introduction
Addiction is a chronic disease, and relapses are a normal part of recovery. However, it’s important to know what to do if you do relapse. Say’s Dr Louis Hampers, this article will help guide you on how to deal with triggers when they arise and maintain your sobriety.
Learn about triggers
Triggers are the things that trigger a relapse. They may be environmental, emotional or situational. For example, if you have been sober for six months and go to an event where alcohol is being served, this will be a trigger for your addiction. If your boss yells at you at work and calls into question all of your abilities as an employee (even though he doesn’t know about your drinking problem), this could also be considered a trigger for slipping back into old behaviors.
Identify drug-free activities
One of the most important things you can do to cope with relapse triggers is to identify activities that keep your mind off drugs and alcohol. One way to do this is by taking time to get to know yourself. Think about what makes you happy, or what makes life worth living for you now that your addiction is in recovery mode? Try joining a club, sports team or hobby group where there will be other people who are also trying them out for fun.
Avoid risky situations
Avoid risky situations.
It’s important to avoid people and places that could trigger your desire to use drugs, as well as situations that make you think about using them. If you’re trying to stay sober, don’t spend time with friends who still use drugs or go back to places where you used them in the past.
Continue support network contacts
Having a relapse can be devastating. You may feel like you have failed, or that others will think less of you because of your relapse. If this is how you feel, it’s important to talk with your support network so they can help ease these feelings and remind you why they are important in your recovery process.
Coping with Relapse: Strategies for Overcoming Addiction Triggers and Maintaining Sobriety
The first step in avoiding relapse is identifying your addiction triggers. These can be anything from the smell of cigarettes to a stressful situation, or even just being around people who use drugs or alcohol. Once you know what your triggers are, try to avoid them as much as possible.
If a trigger does get the best of you and causes a relapse, take time off from work or school so that no one expects anything from you for awhile–this will allow time for feelings of guilt and shame over the slip-up to pass naturally without any outside pressure making matters worse!
Conclusion
It is important to remember that relapse is a normal part of recovery from addiction. The key is to not let it discourage you from trying again. If you do relapse, try not to beat yourself up about it and remember that there are always other options for getting help with your recovery.
