Addiction recovery is a life-long journey. Seeking addiction treatment and achieving sobriety does not guarantee long-lasting sobriety. Unfortunately, many people in recovery struggle with triggers and urges that can jeopardize their sobriety journey. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, around 40-60% of people treated for substance use disorders will relapse. This statistic showcases just how important relapse prevention techniques are to maintaining long-term recovery. Keep reading to learn more about the best relapse prevention techniques you can incorporate in your own recovery journey.
At Hammocks on the Edisto, we are a premier women’s drug rehab that is committed to providing one-of-a-kind, women-specific care to help you achieve life-long sobriety. No two recovery journeys are ever the same. That’s why we offer a wide variety of women’s substance abuse treatment programs so you can receive the personalized care you need to best support your unique recovery needs. Ready to break free of addiction? Contact us today!
6 Best Relapse Prevention Techniques
Relapse prevention is key to maintaining long-term sobriety. Below are some of the best relapse prevention techniques you can use to help support your road to recovery.
1. Avoid Triggers
First, it’s important to avoid triggers that may potentially jeopardize your road to recovery. For example, if you are in recovery for alcohol addiction, you should avoid places and people that may trigger your addiction, like bars or friends who struggle with alcohol addiction themselves.
2. Watch Who You Surround Yourself With
As previously mentioned above, it’s also important to be aware of who you surround yourself with. While this isn’t to say you need to abandon all your friends or family members who may be struggling with addiction themselves, it’s critical to be aware that the people you surround yourself with heavily influence your own behavior–for better or for worse. Therefore, if much of your friend group while you struggled with addiction consisted of people who abused drugs and alcohol themselves, you should consider forming connections with people who already live healthy lifestyles themselves.
3. Prioritize Healthy Coping Strategies
Another key to relapse prevention is having healthy coping strategies in place you can turn to when you experience triggers or cravings to abuse drugs. There are a number of different healthy coping strategies you can consider. For example, running, walking your dog, hiking, journaling, spending quality time with a family member or friend, or even doing yoga or reading.
4. Prioritize Stress Management
Unfortunately, many people struggle to effectively manage their stress levels. This can lead to some people turning to drugs or alcohol to relieve their stress and anxiety. Therefore, it’s important to prioritize stress management such as journaling, breathing exercises, or even routinely talking with a therapist to ensure your mental health and well-being are not interfering with your recovery journey.
5. Ask for Help
Next, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you suspect you are struggling to resist urges to abuse drugs, or even if you relapse. Asking for help and seeking professional support, like outpatient care, can help you maintain your course on your road to recovery and reduce your risk of relapsing.
6. Attend Support Groups
Attending weekly support groups is another effective relapse prevention technique you should consider. Support groups can help you connect with others who share similar struggles and experiences as you. Likewise, support groups can help keep you accountable during your recovery journey.
Top-Rated Drug and Alcohol Rehab in South Carolina
Now you know more about the best relapse prevention techniques you can use to help support your sobriety journey. Relapse is your biggest threat to achieving life-long sobriety. This is why it’s critical to avoid triggers and prioritize healthy coping strategies in your daily life so you can maintain a healthier, happier life free from the chains of addiction.
At Hammocks on the Edisto, we offer personalized, gender-specific care to help women struggling with addiction get the tailored support they need to achieve long-term sobriety. Addiction is a debilitating disease that can impact all areas of your life for the worse. However, you don’t have to suffer in silence with your addiction. We offer a comprehensive range of treatment programs and addiction therapies so you can break free of addiction once and for all. Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve a healthier, happier life.
