It can be a challenge to overcome a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, substance abuse is more common than many people realize. It’s been estimated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that more than 10 percent of individuals over the age of 12 will likely use recreational or illicit drugs at some point this month. For many, the abuse of alcohol or drugs will lead to further use and eventually dependency or addiction. Some of the most common substances that are abused include:
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Methamphetamines
- MDMA (ecstasy)
It is an incredible challenge to get sober; however, it is just as challenging to prevent relapse after a residential treatment program. If you are looking for help preventing relapse after treatment, there are a few tips that you should follow.
Take Your Sobriety One Day at a Time
One of the most important tips that you need to follow is to take your sobriety one day at a time. If you try to make a giant plan for 5 or 10 years in the future, you will feel overwhelmed. Remember how challenging it was to stay sober for 24 hours during inpatient treatment? If you try to multiply that amount of effort over the course of multiple years, it is easy to see how you might get a bit overwhelmed by this number.
Therefore, wake up in the morning and remind yourself that you are committing yourself to stay sober for that single day. It might even be helpful to announce to yourself the number of days you have been sober when you get up in the morning.
Trust Your Support System
Another one of the most important tips for preventing relapse after an alcohol addiction treatment program is to trust your support system. Remember that there are plenty of people who have helped you get to this point. They are not going to abandon you now. Some of the people that you may want to rely on for support as you try to stay sober include:
- Your family members
- Your friends
- Your peers and your group sessions
- Your outpatient therapy provider
- Your sponsor
If you ever feel like you were having issues, reach out to your support system. They are going to help you during your time of need. Remember all of the tips that you developed during the aftercare program and sober living. Put these to use to prevent a relapse from happening.
Do Not Feel Obligated To Go To Everything
Another one of the tips for preventing relapse after treatment you may have learned about aftercare and sober living is to place yourself in a successful position. Particularly during the first few days of your sobriety, you need to manage expectations and not feel obligated to go to everything.
For example, if you are trying to recover from alcohol abuse, it might help you stay away from alcohol for a little while. Of course, you shouldn’t be drinking it; however, it is also helpful to stay away from situations where alcohol might be served. For example, you may want to turn down invitations to go to a bar, a brewery, or even a simple party where alcohol might be present. If you remove yourself from situations where alcohol is served, you significantly reduce your chances of relapsing.
Contact Harmony Hills for Tips for Preventing Relapse After Treatment
The treatment process does not stop just because you left inpatient care. You need to continue with the treatment process after you leave. That is where we can help you. At Harmony Hills, we want to make sure that you stay sober after leaving our Florida substance abuse treatment center. Contact us today at 855.494.0357 to make an appointment with one of our mental health treatment programs!
