Protecting Sobriety and Preventing Relapse

Published On: December 31, 2019
Updated On: December 15, 2022

Next to seeking help for drug or alcohol abuse, preventing relapse is the hardest part of drug treatment. Overcoming a drug dependency isn’t easy. Therefore, finding ways to protect your sobriety during rehab will prepare you for the challenges to come.

Along with following a plan of action to avoid relapse, having a supportive circle of family members and friends are crucial to long-term recovery. When others offer encouragement and support, it keeps you accountable and determined to stay sober for you and your loved ones.

Addiction research reveals that 40 to 60 percent of people who’ve partaken in alcoholism or drug addiction treatment programs end up relapsing within a year. But that doesn’t mean relapse is inevitable. 

Lasting sobriety is possible with the proper support, learning new coping skills for life’s challenges, and surrounding yourself with people who help you maintain sobriety.

What Causes Relapse?

Several factors can push those battling substance use disorders to give up sobriety and return to substance abuse. If you’re supporting someone battling a dependency, it’s essential to understand that addiction is a disease.

Knowing that your loved one falls into self-harm through drug or alcohol dependency because of a brain disorder and not merely a conscious decision will help you better support them.

Whether your goal is to avoid relapse for yourself or support a loved one through sobriety, understanding circumstances and situations that trigger the need for drugs will help maintain your sobriety.

Unrealistic Expectations

Having impossible demands for sobriety can cause undue stress when your expectations aren’t met, making it easier to forfeit sobriety.

Over-Commitment

Viewing your sobriety as a “forever” commitment can be mentally daunting. Recovery is a journey, and progress should be your goal. Look at sobriety as a day-to-day achievement, not a life-long sentence.

Poor Diet

Your physical and mental health must be restored through proper nutrition and hydration. Unhealthy eating can cause nutrient deficiencies that can lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and low energy, all of which can lead someone to start using drugs or alcohol or trigger a relapse.

Financial Strain

Whatever your financial goals, your recovery and sobriety must come first. Take inventory of your financial status. Outline your assets, debts, and expenses. Knowing where you stand financially is the only way to move in the right direction. 

Create a budget that allows you to monitor your spending and prepare for unexpected expenses that would otherwise cause extreme stress.

Fatigue

Building a healthy, sober life takes energy. Don’t become discouraged if, after protecting your sobriety for the day, you’re too tired to enjoy the benefits of a clear mind. Fatigue is the body telling you it’s time to rest. Don’t mistake that feeling for the need for a drink or stimulant.

One of the best ways to prepare for and deal with these challenges is to find a support system that will walk you through the situation. Drug specialists at Soul Surgery will design a personalized approach to drug or alcohol treatment for you. Your journey to sobriety is unlike anyone else’s, so your plan for long-term sobriety should be just as unique.

Keys To Preventing Relapse

When you’re ready to achieve a life of sobriety and positive experiences, desire alone will not prevent relapse. Create a relapse prevention plan to protect your sobriety. Recognize the triggers in your life that push you toward drug and alcohol use.

Have the courage to name each trigger, even if it’s a friend or loved one. Spending time with those who continue to use drugs puts you in high-risk situations, increasing your risk of relapse. Put space between you and old acquaintances who still depend on drugs.

Accept help from a counselor, support group, or 12-step treatment program. Recognize when you need support and seek professional help to develop coping and relapse-prevention strategies to help get you through challenging moments.

Soul Surgery is Committed to Keeping You Free From Addiction

Soul Surgery Rehab is committed to seeing you achieve sobriety through our custom holistic treatment, inpatient and outpatient programs, and sober living facility. Our caring staff will equip you with the physical and mental tools necessary for sobriety. 

You don’t have to handle preventing relapse alone.

Contact us today to learn how you can achieve and protect your sobriety.