For those that are struggling with addiction, relapse is among the biggest concerns. It is estimated that the relapse rate for anyone treated for addiction within the last year is between 40 and 60 percent. For those that are in recovery, the threat of relapse is highest within the first year. Relapse is not simply a concern for social purposes, it is a matter of life and death for millions. The overdose rate during the early months of the pandemic in 2020 experienced a “concerning acceleration.”
Experts at outpatient centers such as https://nuviewtreatment.com/treatment-programs/outpatient-rehab-program-los-angeles-iop/ know the life or death concerns when relapse occurs. There are ways to avoid this scary journey. Learn more about how to avoid relapse after recovery.
Know the Warning Signs
Knowing how to avoid a relapse is the key to avoiding relapse. It sounds like common sense, but to those fighting this, it can be a daily challenge. When you know what your triggers or warning signs are, you can catch them and prevent the relapse. Warning signs and triggers are two different things.
Going to a bar that you normally wouldn’t know is a warning sign. Talking to those friends again suddenly is as well. If your boss stresses you out, and you start thinking about drinking every time you see them, that is a warning sign as well.
You may not always know what they are when you are trying to prevent relapse, particularly if you are new to recovery. You would be considered new to recovery within the first year, when relapse rates are highest. Warning signs are easy for anybody to overlook. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss them, just remember to keep an eye out for them.
Becoming Complacent
The most important part of treatment is the motivation to succeed there. When you become complacent to meetings, recovery, and staying sober, the chances of relapse increase. Complacency doesn’t just happen. It is often triggered by a life stressor, but it doesn’t always have to be.
Overdose deaths increased over the early months of the pandemic because complacency set it. It was a natural impact of loneliness, isolation, loss, and global trauma. If you or a loved one is worried about complacency, talk to someone about that. It could save your life. Avoiding this cause of relapse could avoid relapse completely.
Make Healthy Choices
The old standby of making healthy choices is cliché because it works. You may be worried about relapse because sleep routines are impacted, diet choices change, social dynamics change, family dynamics change, or you just don’t want to work so hard at it anymore.
Replace some of those unhealthy choices with healthier ones. There’s a lot to be said about a good night’s sleep, healthy eating, and staying away from drama, and changing social dynamics. You don’t have to be around people you don’t want to be, even if they suggest you do. They could be the ones that lead you into that path of complacency that could hurt you.
Seek Support
If you are worried about relapse to addiction, either regarding yourself or a loved one, you are not alone. It is happening to millions of Americans right now. The healthiest choice, if you have no other strategies, is to seek safe support. Experts at outpatient centers can help you stay healthy, and construct better choices when you are struggling in a world of chaos.
