Relapse means resuming drug or substance use to its original levels during or after the withdrawal process. In several cases, preventing relapse altogether is a challenging endeavor even after a complete recovery process.
It is not merely a pleasing effect but the substantial impact of drugs on addicts’ psychological processing and coping stamina.
Chronic drug and substance consumers are prone to falling into addiction multiple times throughout their rehabilitation process. Their surrounding environment plays a massive role in getting into drugs for the first time, developing dependency, and recurrent relapses.
Research studies document that individuals surrounded by severe problems, including personal, professional, emotional, psychological, physical, economic, and social, are more likely to get into drugs and addiction.
Individuals find solace in drug abuse to tolerate worsening socioeconomic conditions. For instance, people use drugs to deal with the emotional breakdown of a failing relationship. Declining performance at the workplace and subsequent stress create another quiet space for drug abuse.
These factors are also the most significant contributors to cause relapse over time. Thus preventing relapse doesn’t depend upon a single element or temporary efforts. It is a complex condition that requires long-term efforts.
The following sections discuss some of the effective strategies to deal with addiction and prevent its relapse.
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Seek professionally administered therapy
Managing drug use disorder and its complications is challenging without professional assistance and a structured rehabilitation program. Since drug addiction is a global challenge, experts are continuously striving to explore effective prevention measures.
That’s why almost every corner of the world facilitates addicts with withdrawal and relapse management services to a varying degree. Suppose you reside in Florida, where drug use is common, you can find treatment options in Florida to initiate your journey towards complete recovery.
Generally, the rehabilitation process is based on the type of the drug and its consequences for the addict’s well-being. Mostly, therapy starts from detoxification to filter out residual chemicals from the body.
If the addiction is severe, professionals can recommend partial or even 24 hours’ hospitalization over an extended period. Long-term rehabilitation observes a patient’s condition and symptoms and devices a customized withdrawal management plan.
The treatment not only manages addiction and withdrawal symptoms but prepares patients to deal with lapses and relapses. Specifically, patients go through comprehensive cognitive and behavioral adopting mechanisms to cater to addiction and its symptoms and prevent relapses in the future. Thus preventing relapse requires professional assistance and therapy.
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Explore and practice coping skills
There is no absolute and one-stop solution to avoid relapse once and for all. The prevention mechanism depends upon drugs, addiction status, associated symptoms, and other healthcare complications.
Most of the time, relapse prevention requires a holistic set of different coping practices. Therefore, addicts should explore several coping mechanisms and identify which bears fruits for them.
The fundamental purpose of relapse management practices is to enable addicts’ physique and psychic health to develop resistance and strength against addiction. Though every addict may require different coping techniques, almost all procedures have a universal significance, and they are sure to bring positive outcomes.
For instance, implement patience and restrain when you experience impulses or encounter triggers. The feeling will gradually subside on its own. Incorporate physique and mind strengthening practices to manage side-effects and addiction urges.
For instance, meditation is effective in synchronizing and enhancing psychic, physical, and emotional well-being. As a result, you have more control over your senses. Specific breathing techniques can also minimize sudden surges related to drugs by reducing your stress and apprehension level.
It is because deep inhalation and exhalation supply your body with sufficient oxygen. As a result, your mind is capable of processing the dangers and consequences of relapse.
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Detour from persuading stimuli
First of all, it is crucial to scrutinize potential risk factors and their impact on your relapse behavior. In essence, persuading stimuli are risk factors that facilitate addiction and relapse. Therefore, minimizing contact with potential triggers is essential to prevent relapse.
For instance, maintaining company with your social circle may be favoring or contributing to relapse. Unceasing challenges of work may persuade you to seek drug-induced temporary pleasure and pave conditions for a relapse.
Returning to the same neighborhood may also trigger previous anxieties, belittle your efforts, and ultimately cause relapse. Thus remaining immersed in an addiction-influencing company and stressful environment increases your chances of resuming addiction.
In addition, sometimes continuous nagging and vigilance of family members also irritate individuals to resume drug consumption. Family members’ behavior can signal distrust where addicts prefer relapse rather than continue a fruitless effort.
In such cases, it is crucial to minimize familial ambiguities around the rehabilitation process and proceed with a coordinated effort. Nonetheless, careful identification of addiction triggers and their influence on your drug control efforts is fundamental to prevent recurrent relapse.
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Adopt a health-promoting lifestyle
Lifestyle is another decisive factor in managing addiction and minimizing the likelihood of frequent relapses. As such, practicing a balanced and carefully scheduled routine contributes to achievements and self-fulfillment. Your lifestyle should facilitate the execution of social, professional, personal, and individualistic responsibilities without causing exhaustion and fatigue. Thus structure your way of life that promotes your health and well-being.
Avoiding relapse requires prioritizing your health over other activities. For instance, sparing time for a physical workout, family and social gatherings, household chores, entertainment, and professional activities are keys to maintaining a healthy life.
It is vital to maintain a proper diet to keep your body satiated with the required nutrients. Managing sleep irregularities and deprivation is a practical approach to cater to your body’s psychic and physical requirements.
It is also effective in minimizing the onset of several psychic problems, which may be triggering a relapse.
On the other hand, sleeplessness and unhealthy dietary habits deprive the body of required energy and rehabilitation, thus promoting relapses. Similarly, finding healthy means to deal with work-related stress, personal setbacks, and challenges in life rather than resorting to health-compromising habits will also help speed up recovery.
Nonetheless, a lifestyle filled with diverse activities is more promising to prevent relapse than a monotonous and mundane routine.
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Counter pessimism and fears
Since addiction severely affects the mental and emotional processing of the addict, getting rid of the addiction altogether is a challenging journey. Complete recovery may require a longer duration in comparison to developing an addiction.
However, it is an attainable objective. Preventing relapse demands persistence, endurance, and resolution. In the meantime, pessimism and fear of failure can facilitate drug relapse multiple times.
Thus resolving and catering to your doubts logically is one of the effective remedies to minimize the onset of relapse. Similarly, appreciate the outcomes of your rehabilitation, no matter how insignificant they may seem.
Abstain from transforming lapse into relapse merely out of boredom and slow progress. Similarly, understand the implications of withdrawal and recovery process.
On the other hand, compensating your failures with drug abuse rather than examining root causes contributes to relapse. Self-doubt and negativity induce addiction and relapse. Though it is easier to trap into temptation, your positive attitude is crucial to maintaining self-control. Before developing doubts and fears, let the rehabilitation process bear desired results.
Concluding remarks
Though managing addiction and preventing relapse is a laborious and challenging endeavor, complete recovery is possible. It depends upon examining specific triggers and stimuli that contribute to a relapse.
It is equally important to note that results will only be fruitful if you maintain persistency. Thus believe in your efforts, seek assistance, and utilize result-bearing strategies.
