Stay off the Drugs for Good: 5 Relapse Prevention Strategies That Work 

Recovering from drug addiction is a major achievement and shouldn’t be taken lightly. It can be difficult to stay clean though, even for people who have been off drugs for years. 

There are plenty of ways that you can work on managing your behavior to ensure that you don’t fall back into any bad habits. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it to live a life that’s free of addiction. 

If you’re looking for any of these relapse prevention strategies, you’re not alone. Plenty of people are in your position, but you’re in the right place. Here are five strategies to prevent relapsing into your addiction. 

1. Don’t Get Complacent

At the beginning of recovery, people are often very enthusiastic about their newfound sobriety. They go to the meetings, they read the books, and they follow the instructions given to them by their therapists and healthcare providers. 

As time goes on, though, some people seem to forget that this is a constant process. Try to keep in mind exactly why you’re doing this. Remember the struggles of addiction, the pain of withdrawal, and the joy of finally getting clean.  

Keeping these things in mind can help keep you on track for further recovery success.

2. Keep A Community

Trying to go through recovery alone makes everything harder. Whether you stick with weekly group meetings or just have a close-knit group of people who understand your situation, it’s important to have a community to surround yourself with.

It’s also important to have people in your network who are simply positive and supportive, even if they aren’t in any kind of program such as this addiction recovery in Texas. People who have lived drug-free lives might not understand your situation exactly, but they can help your plight and provide a great support network.

3. Avoid Triggers

There are all kinds of triggering situations for an addict, and they range from standard mental health triggers to drug-related triggers.

You want to make sure that you steer clear of any environments where there might be temptations. You might think that you can handle it, and maybe you can, but it’s a pretty big risk to take with your health. 

It’s also best to try to avoid stressful situations. Stress can trigger a relapse. Stress isn’t entirely avoidable, but learning coping mechanisms and how to get out of stressful situations before they boil over is essential.

4. Create A Schedule

A schedule is a great way to hold yourself accountable. 

Schedules are great for organizing your brain and your day into bite-sized chunks. If you don’t leave room for any triggering events to happen, how will they happen?

It’s not as simple as all that, clearly, but it’s a great way to set yourself up for success. Organizing your thoughts can help keep a calm and collected mindset, avoiding the potential for relapse. Scheduling is one of the most productive relapse prevention strategies.

5. Don’t Think Of Relapse As Failure

Thinking of relapse as failure is unhealthy for you and people in your network who may have suffered relapses of their own. The relapse rate for substance abuse is between 40 and 60 percent, but relapse isn’t shameful.

It’s a misstep, and then you try again. 

No Relapse Prevention Strategies Are Perfect

There’s no shame in relapsing, but these relapse prevention strategies should be helpful in your quest for lifetime sobriety. 

It’s a journey that you’ll be on forever, so be gentle with yourself.

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