Signs that you are about to relapse

Relapse means slipping back into a past habit or addiction. “Past” in this case could mean ten years ago, five years ago, one year, one month, last week. It is vital to know the signs that you may be approaching relapse, because in doing so you are seeking to circumvent relapse. This is a better tactic than waking up the morning after a relapse and wondering how you’re going to look yourself in the mirror. But even if you did slide back into an old habit, it is not time to despair or throw in the towel. It takes considerable courage to take on addiction. Many recovering addicts have decided that giving up is not an option, no matter what happens.

                

The first thing to do is to get over the idea of being “worried about relapse.” How does this work? The simple fact is that anxiety on the subject doesn’t really do much good. A more correct approach is to be educated and analytical on the matter. When you know the signs and signals, you see beyond the next few hours. You can, to one degree or another, see into the future, and take action to control your own fate.

Relapse Warning Signs

§  Cravings. You simply have the urge to take the drug or take a drink. You’ve experienced it many times before while addicted. Now you feel it again. Any effective rehab program must include the steps of developing a relapse prevention plan. A recovering addict or alcoholic, with the help of a counselor, isolates the triggers or situations that can bring on cravings – both physical and psychological. Then a plan is developed for rapidly dealing with these when they come up. For example, it can be simple as leaving the room and going for a walk. For others, it could involve contact of a trusted family member or friend. Certain visualizations could be in order, such as seeing oneself after the craving has passed, a happier and stronger person. Click here for more ways to manage cravings.

§  The crossroads. Every former addict finds himself or herself in the classic “crossroads” situation. They get a phone call from their old drug cohort or drinking buddy. A car pulls up with “friends” and you absolutely know they have a bag of pills with them. You pass a bar or club you once frequented and feel compelled to enter. These and countless other scenarios can put someone at a crossroads. They know “Door A” leads back to using, while “Door B” means continued sobriety, and they must decide then and there. It is often a spilt second decision. Simply being aware of this type of situation is a first step. Another step is to practice walking away or how to decline an offer. When these situations arise, a person can keep walking down the straight road.

§  Trauma or loss. A person experiences a traumatic incident, a bad break-up, a fight with a spouse, getting fired. Or worse, loss of a friend or loved one. They then seek to nullify or numb their pain much the same as they did before, through drugs or alcohol. Any recovering addict must have a support network. These are their trusted allies whom they can call 24/7 no matter what, and these people pick up the phone! There must be a list the person can call, just in case someone is unavailable. They can seek to deal with the problem themselves, but they should not hesitate to make the call.

§  Medical drugs. A person sustains an injury, illness or surgery; they are then administered or prescribed painkillers (OxyContin, Vicodin, etc.). For one, this can remind them of earlier highs and they may develop a taste for it again. Or, they get progressively hooked on a new substance. Any medicinal drug use must be professionally monitored. Additionally, a responsible friend, relative or counselor should be assigned to help the person during this period. Finally, any former addict should be properly assisted in getting off a medical drug (or drugs) at the nearest appropriate opportunity.

§  Social situations. Christmas parties, concerts, out of town business meetings, even backyard barbeques or high school reunions; any of these and many more can provide relapse opportunities. These are situations often encountered by recovering alcoholics. They find themselves at a social function, and they may not have much of a choice in being there. What for some is harmless social drink can be a nightmare for others. Their prevention plan could be to not go, send a proxy (replacement), show up with a friend, or abstain. The point is to have a plan that works.

§  X-Factor. What we’ll call the X-factor means those things unique to the individual. A person can carry with them certain triggers. They feel depressed, nervous or angry and that is when they feel like using again. They could be drifting through life and have no real goals, and that is when they may turn to certain substances. The possibilities are endless. Again, effective rehab takes these things into account, in the form of a well thought-out relapse prevention program.

Prevention

Those are some of the warning signals to watch for. Holistic rehabilitation treats each person as an individual, incorporating a number of effective methodologies to deal with each addict’s specific situation. When a person comes off drugs or alcohol and goes through a rehab program, they should not be fired back into the world unprepared. Quite the opposite, with a comprehensive relapse prevention program, a person can emerge confident in their ability to deal with the road ahead.