Relapse Prevention
Once sobriety from substance abuse is achieved through rehabilitation, it is necessary to maintain that sobriety. As anyone who has suffered substance abuse can say, it is a tough road. Rehabilitation treatment programs usually even mention that relapse is often a part of treatment and that it is not uncommon.
This fact alone makes addiction, quite possibly, the most difficult disease to treat. Relapsing doesn’t mean that treatment has failed. It doesn’t mean the patient has failed. It means the patient must own up to his, or her, responsibilities and actions, and begin achieving sobriety and freedom from substances again.
Preventing relapse is simply not avoiding a substance. It is a complete lifestyle change. In the beginning, it means avoiding all triggers that may evoke the desire to abuse the substance of choice again. This often requires the patient to not associate with several people that they used to associate with. Recovering addicts and alcoholics, simply cannot be around people who are abusing the substances they’ve tried so hard to free themselves from. This does not mean a recovering alcoholic can never go in to a bar or restaurant again to celebrate a life’s event with friends or family. It just means at first. Once relapse triggers are completely eliminated and no longer craved, the patient can participate in such situations.
However, to avoid relapse early on, lifestyle changes are critical. Avoiding other active users can save the patient’s life. Refocusing the energies used to find and fuel the addictions can now be redirected to constructive actions.
It is sometimes beneficial for the substance abuser to fill their time that was previously spent abusing their substance of choice to focus on positive things. They are encouraged to seek out and engage in exercising, writing, art, music, teaching, mentoring, or volunteering. There has to be something somewhere that each of us has a passion for. The key is to focus on it, and actively pursue it. The opportunities do not just arrive at one’s door. Actively pursing a safe area of interest encourages the meeting of new acquaintances.
As one situation leads to another healthier lifestyle, harmony in one’s life can be achieved without the need for self medication. It requires strength and courage, but what a payoff!
Peter Wendt is a freelance article writer and commercial researcher working out of Austin. To find out more on this topic, Peter suggests you take a look at www.OriginsrRecovery.com which he has found to be a useful resource.