People in addiction recovery always need to be mindful of relapse. It can be just around the corner if someone doesn’t follow their recovery plan closely. Have you been to drug rehab or alcohol treatment at some point in your life? Even if you have been sober for years, it’s a good idea to review important ways to reduce your risk of addiction relapse.

Who Is In Your Social Network?

Your social connections make a big difference with your relapse risk. Do you hang out with people who truly respect your sobriety, or do some have lifestyles that include plenty of drinking or drug use? It’s a good idea to evaluate this from time to time.

Human beings often adjust to whoever they spend a lot of time with. They may not think about how their social connections affect their lives. If you are a recovering addict or alcoholic, this oversight can be risky. Because someone is familiar to you, you might dismiss them drinking in front of you or using drugs. You can start making excuses for people who maybe aren’t the best influence.

This can be a slippery slope because the boundary between sobriety and relapse becomes fuzzy. If you can make excuses for one or two people, how about a whole group of old drinking friends? It becomes too easy to gradually drift away from a sober mindset.

So when you make plans with friends or run into people you know, take a step back in your mind for a moment. Am I better off with this person in my life, or do their choices put me at risk? If you think someone puts you at risk, then you do need to keep some distance. If you can’t avoid them completely, be sure you stay on your toes and keep your direct contact very limited. Also, make an extra effort to boost your relationships with positive people. The reduced contact with the negative people will make less difference to you.

Keep Your Body and Mind Healthy

When you were in drug rehab, you probably learned about many different ways to keep your mind and body healthy. That’s still important to keep up long after your rehab program has finished. Your state of well-being can protect you against some stressors that could trigger potential relapse.

When you keep your mind calm and positive, you reduce the chance that your addiction thinking will return. The more you use your healthy coping skills to manage your emotions, the less likely you are to drink your pain away. The healthier your body feels, the more you are inclined to feel naturally good each day.

Healthy habits keep your sober lifestyle rolling forward with positive energy. Negativity and unhealthy habits pull you away from sobriety, making you less concerned about your overall well-being. If you think you need to improve your health habits, now is a good time to get started. See your doctor, talk to other people in recovery, or just start reviewing your original recovery plan to get you back on track.

Staying Away From The Addiction Relapse Trap

For anyone who’s battled addiction, relapse is a genuine risk. If you have been through drug rehab, you have lots of ways to support your sobriety and avoid the traps. Stay on top of your health and keep good people around you to make sure every day is a sober day.

Tags: aftercare, alcohol addiction, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, drug treatment, friends and loved ones, relapse

   

About Erika K.

       

Erika K. has studied addiction and recovery for over ten years. As an accomplished writer, she uses the power of words to help men and women of all ages better understand issues of dependence and substance abuse.

Also written by: Erika K.