Addiction and Relapse: 10 Tips for Preventing Relapse
Addiction recovery is a challenging but rewarding process. The potential to relapse from substance, alcohol, or drug abuse is one of the most challenging obstacles on the journey.
So if you’re having difficulty and are concerned about relapsing, here are ten tips for preventing relapse.
1: Get Social Contact
Especially in recent times, with lockdowns all over the world, it’s easy to feel alone. If you have a network of support, reach out to them to keep yourself busy, and avoid the temptation to relapse. They will support you.
2: Volunteer for a Charity
There are organizations worldwide who are looking to support people like yourself get back into work. Unpaid voluntary work is a great way to keep busy.
3: Write About Your Experiences
Even if you don’t have the best language or computer skills, some websites pay for people to write about their experiences, and you can be as honest as you like. Many see it as a liberating experience and therapeutic.
4: Avoid Financial Worries
Whether you are in poverty or have established wealth, you’ll want to make sure your attitude on money aligns with your position. Sit down with someone and they can help you minimize your spending. Less spending can take a massive burden off earning that money.
5: Make a Life Plan
Now is a great time to write down everything you’ve ever wanted to do and do it. Of course, factor in that you’ll need to avoid temptation.
But if you’ve wanted to try a new sport or learn a new skill, there are education charities worldwide that help people learn new skills and get back into work.
6: Eat Healthy
Living a healthy lifestyle can do wonders for your mental health and physical health. It isn’t always about losing weight either. It can also help gain weight.
Take your circumstance into consideration, though, to avoid relapsing into addictive habits, especially if you have experience with self-harm.
7: Talk Out Your Trauma
If you are now of a clearer mind, it might be a good time to confront any trauma or anger in your life. Just like your recovery from addiction, it will help you to accept past events and learn to live a life where you are in control, not the memories.
8: Learn to Meditate
Meditation is excellent. It calms any anxieties and helps with controlling your emotions. It relies on an open mind and a willingness to accept its benefits.
Still, there’s a good reason it’s been practiced for centuries and is used throughout the world today.
9: Avoid Social Temptations
It’s a good idea to socialize, but make sure you do it in a controlled environment, away from those who may still be under the influence. Alcohol and drug relapse is all too common in these situations. You can read on here more about drug-related relapse prevention.
10: Don’t Expect Miracles
It’s important to realize that changes won’t happen overnight. You’re already doing a great job by recognizing there is a possibility of relapse.
It can be hard to find positives, but you are more experienced than anyone to know what happens.
Help Is Available for Preventing Relapse
Don’t be afraid to ask for help preventing relapse. Even if you can’t see it, people want to help you, and it’s okay to accept you are struggling.
Well done on getting this far. Keep that momentum moving forwards and check out more articles on our website to help keep you active and lead a happy, healthy lifestyle!
