Prevention measures for common triggers of addiction relapse

Do you or a loved one struggle with addiction or substance abuse? Is this has been an ongoing problem that you have been dealing with for some time? Or perhaps this is an issue that has only recently taken root, and you would like to take proactive precautions? Whatever your reasoning, there is no shame in seeking help when it comes to dealing with addiction or substance abuse. These can be life-altering issues and should be treated as such. Don’t hesitate, seek immediate help in order to get things turned around for the better. Below are some preventive measures for common triggers of addiction relapse should be helpful and allow you to take control of your life once again.

Self-care

Taking care of yourself is a great way to prevent relapse or continued substance abuse in someone who has struggled with addiction in the past, or is currently struggling with the problem. This can take the form of many different things or activities. Some activities that people find help cope with addiction relapse to find a regular time to work out or get some kind of physical exercise. Creating a daily or weekly routine can help keep you preoccupied and looking forward to something. 

HALT 

HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely and tired. This acronym is meant as a reminder to ask yourself if you are feeling any of these things when you get a craving for whatever your addiction is. These feelings are often associated with people who relapse on their addictions, so by remembering to ask yourself these things it can help you stay clean. Addiction is no joke, so be sure to take care of yourself and use this strategy to stay the course for years to come. 

Get professional help

Addiction relapse and substance abuse can be an incredibly serious issue that you or a loved one may or may not be facing. Sometimes problems like this can get out of hand and you may require the service of licensed professionals in order to make sure that things actually get better and are eventually resolved. This process can be sped up quite a bit and you can make sure things are handled properly by getting help from a professional rehab center. As stated by these trusted professionals from iRecover, the best way to avoid a relapse is to have recovering addicts keep in touch with sponsors and commit to their programs even after being reunited with society. Professionals will be able to evaluate and guide anyone on how to handle their urges properly and get their lives back in order. It is also advised that family members keep themselves updated with a patient’s progress and help them as much as they can to ease back to society.

Meditation 

Another useful tool that many recovering addicts have found helpful is to use mindfulness meditation to help refocus their minds on something else that is not their substance or drink of choice. Using meditation is helpful for many nonaddicts as well, but the act of calming the mind and refocusing our consciousness has proven to have many benefits for recovering addicts. 

Know your triggers

An excellent way to help mitigate your risk of relapsing if you are a recovering addict is to know what your triggers are. If you are self-aware and understand the different emotions, activities, or people that can trigger your addiction then you will be more well equipped to deal with them in the long run. If you are aware of the things that might trigger you then it will be much easier to try to avoid those things when you are feeling vulnerable or like you might relapse. 

Join a support group

Support groups are an excellent way to connect with people who will be able to relate to your struggles and perhaps offer support, words of encouragement, and some additional tips and tricks. Many of these groups are free, meet regularly, and often have some sort of graduated program where you receive different accolades depending on how long you have been sober or clean. 

Hopefully, this article has been helpful and informative regarding the different prevention measures for common triggers of addiction relapse. Addiction is an incredibly serious problem, which can take a huge toll on your personal finances, personal relationships, and your physical health. You need to seek professional help before things get out of hand. Use the tips and tricks in this article to help turn your life around now before it is too late. You will thank yourself in the long run, when you are feeling back to normal and like yourself.