When you’ve finally decided to overcome active addiction, your number one fear might be relapse.
In fact, the fear of a relapse is something that constantly looms like a dark cloud over all recovering individuals.
Deciding to get addiction therapy is a challenging and courageous step and you must make the most of it. To avoid any hiccups during your days of sobriety, here are 5 tips to help you find strength:
Think one day at a time
Always remember that drug rehab is a process and not a destination. It can be really overwhelming to think in the long term because the thought of fighting temptation for the rest of your life can be intimidating.
This is why it is important to have a day-to-day approach. It is much easier to overcome negative thoughts and feelings if you aren’t thinking in the long-term.
Know your triggers
Knowing your triggers and learning how to manage them is an important step during recovery. Some of the common triggers include getting bored, work stress, feeling sad, watching someone getting high, after sex or simply spotting a bar nearby.
However, all addicts are different and have their own triggers. Observe yourself carefully to know your triggers and come up with a plan.
A trigger plan is something that will help you when feel a craving has just been activated. It could be a role play, positive affirmations or looking at some photos of your loved ones. See what works and apply accordingly.
When you have identified your triggers, do not try to test yourself if you have been sober for some time. Remember that a relapse can even happen years later, so it is important to be careful.
Let go of friends that impede your progress and recovery
If you have friends that played a key role in developing your addiction habit, it is time to let them go.
Find a new support group, who will help you control your addiction rather than enable it. If you remain with your old friends, chances are, they will jeopardize your drug rehab process, which happens in most of the cases.
Connect with your loved ones
Your loved ones can play a big role in your recovery process; stay in touch with them. They could be your family, spouse or some very close friends.
Therapy isn’t a ‘fix it all’; you still have to deal with your problems, which may have led you towards addiction in the first place. This is why it is important to have someone who is the cornerstone of support, who will not only help you during drug rehab, but also later on in life.
Join Support groups
Join a support group, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a church group, AA or a support group that is provided by your rehab center.
Nobody in the support group will judge you; you will have a great platform to share your experiences and struggles openly. You will also gain some wisdom from other people who have faced the same struggles as you, and are now recovering with great progress. Let them be a source of inspiration for you.
Many people undermine it, but support groups are a great source of relieving stress and finding strength during recovery.
Misconceptions, social stigma and excessive cravings can make the road to sober living very difficult. However, you must fight on, because the end result is truly worth it.
At Orange County Recovery, we help individuals with our 12-step program along with therapies to cure the root cause of addiction, such as depression, anxiety or stress. We also offer affordable sober living homes.
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