Being addicted to drugs can be frustrating. You try to quit, but you relapse and find yourself in the same situation you were in. Some drugs like nicotine and alcohol can be very hard to quit with addicts making many numerous attempts to quit.
Quitting drugs is not easy. You will need to be patient with yourself and learn that with each relapse you are not a failure. Addicts also need to forgive themselves and learn that many are in this journey. But, there are some practices when put in place with reduces your chances of relapse.
Avoid triggers
Every time you take a drug, there are often trigger situations. This can be visiting a social event where alcohol is sold or going for a party that you well know drugs will be readily available. Once you identify your triggers make efforts to avoid them. While you may try to prove a point that you are now sober by going to parties, this only increases the likelihood for relapse. Avoid keeping alcohol in the house when you have decided to quit. You can join https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/alcohol-abuse/withdrawal-detox/ for help. There are places that you have an emotional attachment to and the probability of engaging in drugs when you are there. Whenever you feel stressed you tend to visit these places. It would be time that you considered a sober home. This is a private residence where individuals live in sobriety. You also have a support group who will help you maintain your sobriety. In the sober home, you will be required to pay rent, attend support meetings, not use drugs and be responsible for various household chores.
Avoid bad company
You are sum total of the people you spend your time with. If you have hung around people who smoke and you have quit, you find yourself smoking again. When you have decided to keep off drugs you need to start making new friends otherwise you go back to drinking or smoking again. No one expects you go through this journey alone, and that is why you need a support network of friends who help you when you are down. There are certain friends who when you meet them they remind you of drugs. To remain sober, you will need to find friends in new places like a book club or church.
Have a plan to avoid relapse
Recovering drug addicts often relapse when they experience cravings. As you continue in your journey to sobriety, you find the cravings and withdrawal symptoms reducing. However, there are those days when you find yourself thinking of a drink. You can have an accountability partner to help you through the journey. This is an individual that you can call upon when you experience cravings. You can also join groups like Alcohol Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Inform your family and friends of your desire to remain sober so that they do not tempt you with alcohol during family gatherings. For some people, you can consider going back for sessions in rehab whenever you experience cravings.
Medications
Some of the addicts abandon taking their drugs the moment they start feeling better. Many factors contribute to drug addiction like depression and social anxiety. In severe cases, the symptoms to these conditions can only be settled by taking your medications even if you feel fine. The problem is that these drugs are so effective in treating the symptoms that the drug addict may fool themselves that they are cured when they are not. Permanent cure for some of these mental illnesses is not permanent, and the addict has to take them for the rest of their lives continually.
Stressful job
The reason for your addiction could be related to your working environment. If you discover that your job is stressful, then you need to discuss this with your employer. The employer can relocate you to a much simpler job. Your employer can also help you allocate time for various support groups. Most of the employers are concerned about their employees and will help them through the road of recovery. If the employer is not supportive to remove the stressors, then it could be time you started searching for a new job.
What to do when you relapse
It is important to be gentle on yourself whenever you relapse. Quitting drugs is a journey full of overcoming addiction and relapsing. The first thing you need to do is to forgive yourself and avoid being very harsh on yourself. When you beat yourself up for the mistakes, you made it increases the chances of relapsing. Analyze the factors that caused you to relapse. Was it old friends that meet at a pub? Go back to the plan that you had made earlier for quitting and stick with it. Remember if you were able to remain sober before you can do it again. Find a support system that will hold your hand whenever you feel depressed or anxious. Learn from the mistakes you made and get back into your plan.
You will also need to establish a new routine that leaves out drugs. This could include a workout program or taking a different route when going home from work. There is no shame in returning back to rehab when the cravings become intense. Take some time off from work for treatment. Consider the benefits and reasons for quitting drugs. It could be something as small as improved breathing or sleep to significant things like having your relationships back. The symptoms of drug addiction tend to appear at inappropriate times, and that is why you can never be fully free.
Conclusion
The benefits of quitting drugs are numerous, and it can be difficult to make that first step to quit. But, the more times you remain sober, the more power you realize you have over the drugs. Recovery needs to be taken one day at a time. Relapse does not mean that you are a failure it just means you need to put in place better coping mechanisms when you are stressed.
