Drug treatment offers a home away from home where you can grow as a person while you adjust to being substance-free. Recovery gives you new coping skills and the ability to use new tools when you’re in an uncomfortable situation. You’ve probably learned a lot about yourself and your addiction by the time you’re ready to return home. But with the return to “normal” life comes a lot of unknowns. You may be worried about adjusting to everyday life. It’s natural to feel nervous when you’re going back to the life you left behind, and you feel like a different person.
Know Your Triggers
Coming home from an inpatient treatment program means leaving your safe space and probably coming back to an environment full of triggers. You might return to living in a neighborhood where drug access is easy, and the temptation is everywhere. Or it could be that you’re worried about arguing with your spouse will tempt you to go to the liquor store.
In treatment, you’ll discover a lot of your triggers and learn how to cope with them. Some triggers are unavoidable. For example, you may not have money to move so returning to a neighborhood with drugs is your only option. If so, this means you’ll have to cope with temptation regularly, and you should always keep the phone numbers of sober allies in your phone and reach out before you decide to use again.
Preventing Triggers
Other triggers may depend on your actions. When you’re in recovery, you know that you can change behavior. So, can you avoid an argument with your spouse? Maybe she gives you grief when you go to an AA meeting because she doesn’t entirely trust you yet. If so, why not have her drop you off and pick you up from the meeting for the first few weeks you’re home?
Prepare for triggers by creating a plan to cope with them before you leave treatment. A therapist can help you plan action to take before you relapse.
Know Your Treatment Options
There are many options for recovery when you’re considering an inpatient treatment program. We work hard to help individuals plan their recovery and learn new coping skills. Learn more about your options for inpatient treatment by calling us at
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