Chronic alcohol drinking and drug use can cause abnormalities in specific neural connections and neurological processes, which is why addiction is considered a brain disease. Drug or alcohol use can change pathways that play a role in reward processing, memory, sensory perception, and decision-making. Substance use or dependency may develop due to changes in the brain’s chemical makeup and function brought on by continued usage.
Substance cravings and withdrawal symptoms are common complications if drinking or drug use abruptly stops or slows down after an individual becomes severely physically reliant. Lack of a substance may make an individual dependent on it feel “normal.” Withdrawal symptoms can be reduced, and intense cravings can be fought by returning to drug or alcohol usage, which may seem like a wonderful way to feel better.
Understanding Addiction Relapse
For an individual dealing with an alcohol or drug misuse issue, staying sober is frequently a daily struggle. Relapse is possible regardless of the length of time an individual has stayed away from substance usage because addiction is a chronic illness. A mental or physical relapse can make it challenging for a person to resume their path to smart recovery. Once they use it even once, they will probably have an overwhelming urge to keep using it. So, it is essential to a person’s long-term physical and mental rehabilitation to get them back into contingency management treatment programs or therapy sessions (family therapy) as soon as possible after a drug or alcohol relapse.
Relapse occurs and can be particularly risky for a person who has long since stopped using drugs. Long-term rehabilitation patients lose their sensitivity to the substance of abuse, which increases the risk of overdosing and even death if they take the same amount as they did when their drug or alcohol abuse was at its worst.
Although relapsing is always possible, the earlier stages can be prevented by being aware of the risk indicators. It’s critical that individuals in recovery be able to keep an eye on themselves and that friends and family members are aware of potential relapse triggers.
Relapse is not a one-time incident, as it is an ongoing process of using again. Usually, it concerns a person’s psychological and emotional strength. Those who have alcoholism or other substance use disorders and alcohol use disorders should recognize that they have a high chance of relapsing, identify their specific triggers, and develop good coping mechanisms for their emotions and triggers.
Emotional Relapse
When someone in the recovery process doesn’t even think about using again, it’s frequently the initial phase of the relapse process. Anger, irritability, and worried feelings are typical negative emotional reactions that the person begins to experience. Sometimes, it causes mental illness heir motivation for recovery frequently waned because they were not using their emotional support systems, and they also started to exhibit irregular food and sleep patterns. It’s critical to identify these early-warning indicators of relapse as soon as possible for someone in recovery who may be on the verge of it. It is possible to stop the problem before it gets worse by acting immediately before an individual even realizes they could be at risk for a psychological relapse.
Individuals often relapse due to stress-related reasons. They likely tried using drugs or alcohol to deal with the stress in their daily life. This can involve difficulties returning to work, resolving relationship conflicts, or even readjusting to life following a chronic illness treatment. One can turn to drugs and alcohol for solace if they have an elevated level of stress and inadequate coping mechanisms.
Mental Relapse
The substance use disorder is currently in its second phase. An individual in recovery may have internal conflict at this period because there are competing parts of them that desire to continue on the path to long-term sobriety and go back to using. Addiction is seen as a chronic illness since there may always be an aspect of an individual that yearns to use again. Direct ideas about using begin to surface as this relapse phase goes on, and it becomes quite challenging to halt the cycle at this point. It’s generally a question of time until a person who struggles with addiction uses it once they make up their mind.
Why Are Relapse Prevention Skills Important?
Learning how to avoid relapses is crucial to living a fulfilling recovery life. One may develop the ability to use these coping skills one day at a time to avoid relapsing and lead a life surpassing their greatest expectations. Drug or alcohol recovery is a process of personal growth and development with transitional checkpoints. Relapse prevention techniques are crucial to learn and comprehend because there is always a chance of relapsing throughout any recovery phase.
Self-Care
Self-care is an integral asset of addiction recovery. Someone who is recovering won’t be able to resist the triggers that could jeopardize sobriety unless they take care of their own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Self-care enables the person to develop the grit required to continue their rehabilitation with all their heart. This can be achieved by creating and adhering to a disciplined eating, sleeping, and workout plan. By transforming unpleasant emotions into constructive ones, self-compassion can jumpstart an early recovery phase and foster a sense of well-being. The capacity to withstand the need for immediate pleasure to reap bigger advantages later on requires self-control. It’s essential for breaking bad behaviors and starting new ones when it comes to addiction.
Know The Triggers
An emotional, environmental, or social circumstance that stimulates recollections of past use of alcohol or drugs is known as a trigger. These recollections have the power to arouse intense feelings that compel the need to utilize drugs once more. Internal triggers include feelings of worry, irritation, tension, wrath, and low self-worth. These internal issues are frequently difficult to manage and are linked to many health disorders. External triggers are another kind of trigger. These can be objects, persons, or locations that evoke memories of their previous uses. An effective technique to become conscious of one’s triggers and lower the chance of relapse rates is to make a list of both internal and external factors that cause one to make unwise choices and decisions.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a concept that allows individuals to build more reliable self-aware. Greater self-awareness makes people more resilient to possible relapse triggers. Mindfulness practice provides individuals with coping mechanisms for difficulties like cravings for drugs or the harmful consequences of substances. It may also lower the risk of relapse. To prevent a relapse, it can also help the individual become more conscious of the physiological clues his body sends out, such as stress and restlessness. Improved inner peace, which strengthens one’s capacity to discover harmony within oneself and let go of challenging and painful emotions, is one of the benefits of meditation that particularly relates to addiction treatment. Additionally, it helps with unmanaged stress, which is one of the main causes of relapse.
Grounding Techniques
Stress and emotional pressure are usually the most significant barriers to a person’s recovery journey. With that, a valuable relapse prevention technique is necessary such as the grounding technique. It is a holistic approach developed to help individuals “ground” or presently connect and associate with the present moment. Grounding techniques are often used to cope with the mental and emotional strain that comes out of nowhere. The process uses the five senses to concentrate and focus on the moment and dodge thoughts of negative coping strategies such as using alcohol or other drugs and negative self-talk. The sensory approach also aids any other unhealthy thought or feeling that may lead someone to want to use it to escape their unwanted high risk situations. These include placing hands into the water, feeling air, or moving the body.
Few Reminders
Join A Support Group
Attending support groups on occasion like Alcoholics Anonymous offers knowledge, responsibility, encouragement, and the chance to connect with others who can relate to one another when things are difficult. Two crucial components of rehabilitation are peer support and a mentor. Relapse is further prevented since it lessens the likelihood of loneliness and isolation, which are two major triggers for relapse.
Talk To Friends And Family
Someone must discuss their struggles with resisting the temptation to use drugs or alcohol again. Speaking with others about techniques and treatments related to one’s general health is beneficial. Family members can also aid with medication monitoring for the patient’s recovery and positive psychological and practical assistance. This assistance may aid in preventing a relapse into drug abuse.
Make An Emergency Contact List
It can be challenging to control urges when they arise, particularly when one starts healing. Having a list of people in recovery that one can contact for assistance is a useful relapse prevention strategy to obtain improved outcomes and regain positive aspects of their lives. Talking to someone trustworthy can assist in overcoming the craving and helping the person remember why they won’t want to resume their old habits. It is crucial to always have that list on hand since it is an easily accessible resource that may be utilized to swiftly contact a safe person.
Get Help
It can be quite crippling to fear relapse. But it doesn’t have to be when someone has a toolkit of good coping mechanisms at their disposal. Relapse susceptibility can be considerably decreased by including these relapse prevention strategies in your daily routine. Seek help by contacting a committed treatment professional to learn more about inpatient or outpatient treatment options through motivational interviewing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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