1 Shares
There’s no getting around it. Relapse is part of recovery. In fact, it’s such a part of recovery that up to 60 percent of recovering individuals relapse. Whether you or a loved one is on the road to recovery for the first or hundredth time, it’s important to be aware of what could lead to an addiction relapse. Relapse triggers may be different for each individual, so find out what puts your own personal recovery at risk to further prevent a relapse. When you identify what may lead to an addiction relapse in your own life, you’ll be more prepared to prevent it in the days of early recovery. And, before discovering your own addiction triggers, learn more about what relapse triggers most commonly lead to addiction relapse.
Undoubtedly, one of the most common causes of addiction relapse is when too many expectations are placed upon recovery. You must understand that quitting the use of drugs or alcohol won’t simply cure all that’s wrong in your life. Just because you’ve made the decision to become sober, it doesn’t mean that everyone you’ve hurt will forgive you. The consequences of your actions before treatment won’t stop knocking at your door. Addiction recovery is a long and slow-moving process. Some days you may feel like it’s not worth it. So, it’s important to expect that it won’t be all butterflies and rainbows. This way, when you experience a bad day, you’ll know that the next will be better. And, unrealistic expectations won’t get in the way of recovery progress being sustained.
High Levels of Stress
One of the most common relapse triggers which lead to addiction, stress is something that most everyone who has committed to recovery has to deal with. Everyone deals with stress. And, before treatment, you may have dealt with yours through the use of drugs or alcohol. Once in recovery, you obviously won’t have this option. So, you must find alternative ways to handle levels of high stress so that the process of addiction relapse does not occur. Although you may not be able to prevent a stressful situation, you can handle the way you respond to a stressful situation. Since everyone is different, ways to handle stress are different for everyone. Stress management may include reaching out to a loved one, friend, or counselor. You can also try mindfulness strategies, exercise, and other holistic therapies thought to reduce stress in everyday life. Furthermore, the prevention of high stress may not always be an option, but many times people place themselves in unnecessary stressful situations. Stay away from making big, life-changing decisions in the days of early recovery which may result in high levels of stress.
Falling Back into the Routine of Addictive Behaviors
Another common reason that the process of relapse may begin is reverting back to addictive behaviors utilized throughout active addiction. This commonly happens when individuals go back to hanging out with the same people at the same places they had before treatment. It’s important to make the decision to change aspects of your lifestyle while you’re in treatment so that you aren’t tempted by these people or environments. Going to the same places and hanging out with the same crowd as you did during active recovery is going to remind you of using. As the commonly used, loosely quoted Einstein saying goes, “The definition of insanity is to doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Although it may be difficult to cut ties with people or even places, it’s worth it to start anew and live without the need to use addictive substances.
Already Experience Addiction Relapse? Your Recovery Doesn’t Have to End
There are many reasons why you or a loved one may relapse. And even if you aren’t sure of which trigger may be most likely to affect you, the most important thing to remember is that relapse isn’t the end of your recovery. Or, it doesn’t have to be. While many think that relapse is failure, it simply is not. Addiction is a disease. Just like other diseases, recovering individuals don’t always get better on the first try. So, don’t be discouraged if you find that you have slipped on your road to recovery. Instead, find support as soon as you realize that you are at risk for relapsing. If you have already relapsed and need someone to talk to about re-entering treatment or getting the support you need, give The Wellness Retreat Recovery a call today at 888-738-0692.
1 Shares
