The road to recovery is not an easy one. For some, it can be a lifelong journey. Regardless of the lengths of time you’ve been recovering, many dangers lurk on the periphery waiting to take advantage of your vulnerability. In and of itself, the fear of relapsing can be a significant barrier to recovery. This is how to avoid a relapse when you are in recovery.
Re-examine Your Triggers
There are so many things that might trigger your addictive behavior. It’s important to re-examine your triggers so that you can recognize them when they appear. This way, you can avoid falling into your old habits. For example, if you used to drink when you felt lonely, try to find another way of dealing with loneliness rather than drinking.
Take On New Hobbies
Often, people in recovery tend to use the same old thing to pass the time. They tend to get bored easily because they have nothing else to do when they are bored. When people get bored, it becomes easier to relapse and begin using again. Picking up a new hobby will help keep you busy and prevent you from relapsing. It can be anything from a sport to volunteering in a charity.
Be Around Positive People
When you’re around people who are into drugs, alcohol, or smoking, there’s a high chance that you’ll relapse and use again because of the negative influence they’ll bring to your life. Negative people have a way of bringing others down and making them feel horrible about themselves. You want to be around people that will lift you and support you through your journey. Surround yourself with positive people. They’ll inspire you, cheer you up and build your self-confidence so that you won’t go down the addictive path anymore.
Attend Support Group Meetings
Support groups have a way of bringing together people in recovery and others who have been through what you’ve gone through. Go for support group meetings whenever you can because it will motivate you to stay sober. You get to hear stories from others in the same position as you and learn a thing or two from them.
Remember Why You’re Doing This
Remembering your loved ones and the good things that sobriety has brought into your life will give you the motivation that is needed to remain sober. Whenever you feel like you are falling into temptation, remind yourself of the people in your life that you want to avoid hurting by relapsing. And more importantly, remember why being sober is so important to you. You can get strength from that, and you will overcome any temptations that you might encounter.
Stay Busy And Active
When you are busy, you don’t have time to think about the problems and concerns in your life. However, you tend to feel stressed, anxious, and depressed when idle. It is a big cause of your addictive behavior. The more activity you get into, the less time you will have to think about things that might make you look at alcohol or drug use as an alternative way of coping with life’s problems. Find something that will give your life meaning and focus on it.
Don’t Isolate Yourself
When you decide to remain sober, it’s essential that you don’t isolate yourself. It would be best to be around people because they’ll make you feel better. When you put yourself into a position where you are alone, you’re already starting to feel depressed and tempted about relapsing. In this case, it is better that you don’t isolate yourself because it will be difficult for you to avoid a relapse.
Realize That There’s Something Better Out There
As you go through the process of sobriety, you’ll be able to see that things are changing for the better. You begin to see what life is like without drugs and how wonderful it could be if you lived your life sober. When you begin to see what your potential is, knowing that it will only get better from this point on, you’ll feel a strong urge not to give up and relapse again. The promise of a better tomorrow will give you the motivation to fight for sobriety and get to that point where you want to be. In conclusion, many things can lead to relapse when you’re in recovery. Remember that it’s not easy to remain sober, but it’s worth it. Keep your eyes peeled for relapse triggers so that whenever they show up, you won’t go back on your decision to remain sober and change your life forever. We are ready to help, call now 772-266-5320.
