One of the more difficult parts of addiction recovery is completing a drug treatment program. It’s sometimes a daunting task because we don’t really know what to expect within ourselves. For many of us it is a brand new world of learning. And, just when you think you’ve had as much as you can take, you come to the realization you are going to have to leave drug treatment and head back to the real world, which is arguably one of the most difficult parts of maintaining sobriety over time.
Relapse can happen too many of us and it’s important to learn that it is part of the process, for some. Not all, but for some.
Continuing to maintain your sober lifestyle can be difficult, but it’s worth fighting for as the more time you have the more to obsession and compulsions will dissipate. Remember this is a lifelong journey with no end. It’s up to you how YOU want to continue that journey. If you haven’t heard the expression, “One Day at a Time,” then you should now, and think about what that actually means. There will be days that staying sober is relatively easy, but there will be days where the world literally seems to be caving in around you. This is when you need to reach out to support people and use the mantra, “One Day at a Time.” However, this is not always 100% successful, as trying to avoid succumbing to the temptation to use alcohol and drugs again can be overwhelming. And when you pick up and use again, this is called Relapse.
Tips and Strategies to Prevent Relapse
- Instead of keeping your feeling bottled up you should work to establish a healthy habit of expressing yourself. It’s not easy and sometimes feeling and emotions will come out wrong, and when this happens, you should try and remember that you are leaning a new pattern of behavior. Sometimes we don’t get it the first few times. Be patient and forgiving. A good way to maintain a constant outflow of expression is to participate in a support group like AA or NA. You can receive objective opinions from your peers who attend that support group too.
- One of the best ways to stay true to your sober lifestyle is to work to avoid those people who are not supporting your healthier life. Sadly, this sometimes means just saying goodbye to people you thought were your friends. In the long run though, you’ll find new supportive friends. If you don’t do this you will find yourself in the middle of temptation a lot. These temptations can come from emotional or physical situations. You should also avoid going to places that remind you of the times when you used drugs, as it may be more tempting to start using again.
- A slip-up or relapse isn’t failure. It’s only a failure if you don’t continue to try. That you give in and believe it is too hard for you. It’s not. You are not alone. If you make a mistake and use drugs, do not let convince yourself you’ve messed up beyond repair. There is always a new opportunity to redeem yourself and get back on track with your recovery. Often times a slip-up or relapse is a time of learning.
Recovery Rob BIO
Recovery Rob is a 48-year-old man who has more than twenty years of sobriety, whose drugs of choice at one time were alcohol and drugs, and he has worked in and around the field of addiction for more than 20 years. Having just recently launched his own website, www.askrecoveryrob.com, he hopes to reach out and continue to help others who work through their process of addiction and recovery. Recovery Rob is a professional writer who has published two novels and is currently working on his third. He has been writing and working as Pat Moore Foundation’s premiere blogger and content writer, which helps keeps Pat Moore Foundation’s addiction and recovery blog top-rated.