When you are fighting addiction, seeking recovery is one of the bravest, possibly most life-changing decisions you can make. Not only are you rejecting an unhealthy lifestyle, you are opening yourself up to help and healing in a beautiful way. But anyone who has struggled through recovery before will tell you the same thing – it is not easy.
Once you have successfully gone through detox, the process of rewiring your brain and habits begins. In order to avoid relapse and maintain sobriety, it is important to put certain practices in place in your life once you have finished detox.
What is detox?
Detox is the first step in the recovery process where one seeks out medical treatment to help safely and successfully cleanse their body of the toxins present from substance abuse. Recovery is not detox – rather, detox is the physical cleanse the body must go through before becoming ready to take on the mental cleanse of treatment.
It’s important to remember that detox is not the only step in recovery. While detox is crucial to the success of healing, only those who seek continued care are likely to find maintained sobriety.
Relapse prevention techniques after detox
In order to best maintain the hard work you put into detoxing, it’s important to put these practices into play in your daily life for the best chance at complete sobriety.
1. Take your medication
If you’re given an FDA-approved medication to help you avoid relapse, take it. The medication can make withdrawal symptoms less severe, so you’re less likely to rely on addictive substances to relieve your symptoms. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a valuable tool that many people rely on to help keep them accountable for taking their meds during the initial transition to life following detox.
2. Rely on your support network
Your support system of friends, family and staff at the treatment center is there for a reason: to help you avoid relapse after detox and get your life back. Don’t pull away from them, even when things get hard. Family members and friends can offer support when you need it the most. Attending regular group meetings can also provide you with the feedback, advice and support you need to avoid relapse.
3. Keep yourself busy
When you fill your daily schedule with productive, fulfilling tasks, you don’t have much time to think about substances. Doing positive things in your life can also help you feel more confident, further reducing the temptation to turn to addictive substances. Some things to consider implementing to reduce the risk of boredom include:
- Starting a new book series
- Beginning a home improvement project
- Investing in a hobby, like cooking, gardening or crafting
- Volunteering in your local community (the animal shelter, food bank, library, etc.)
- Planning weekly game nights with friends
- Hiking through your state’s parks
Remember, the less bored you are, the less room temptation has to creep in.
4. Get a fresh start
When pieces of your old life surround you and serve as constant reminders of addiction, relapse is likely. Give yourself the best chance of success with a fresh start. Clean out all paraphernalia from your home and purge your telephone contacts from individuals associated with substance abuse habits. You may even need to change your telephone number or move to a new location so you can leave old, unhealthy relationships and surroundings behind you for good. A fresh start of some sort is essential for avoiding relapse after detox.
5. Avoid triggers
Different people have different triggers that can cause them to relapse. However, the following emotional and environmental triggers are commonly known to start the relapse process in many people:
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Depression
- Stress
- Places and people that remind you of using substances
- Parties and other atmospheres where people use substances
Whenever possible, avoid these types of triggering situations. You can’t always avoid emotions like stress and depression, but if you have a good support network and learn how to distract yourself in productive ways, you’ll have a greater likelihood of working through your emotions without relapsing.
Take your life back today
If you have made the decision to seek treatment for the first time, or have successfully completed detox and are looking for treatment to follow through on recovery, High Focus Centers is here for you. With the ability to personalize recovery plans to meet your specific needs and goals, maintained sobriety is possible.
To learn more, contact us to get in touch with someone today.
