How to Avoid Relapse
Relapse is an inevitable part of life for anyone suffering from mental disorders or dealing with substance abuse. You’re going to slip up and that’s absolutely okay. These moments are going to make you feel less hopeful about your recovery. They’re going to leave you doubting yourself about whether or not you’re strong enough to overcome your issues or your dependencies.
You are strong enough. Your recovery process is not dependent on any one moment. It is dependent on how much effort you put into making yourself better and providing a better life for yourself. Those fresh cuts on your forearm, the pills that you just swallowed secretly in the bathroom, the drink that you promised yourself you wouldn’t have but that you couldn’t resist, it’s not going to decide your entire future. Only you are in control of doing that. After that moment of relapse, you are in control of how your life and how your recovery goes. That being said, here are some preventative measures to help you avoid relapsing.
1. Recognize and understand your triggers
Triggers are abundant and should be avoided at all costs. Something that could trigger a relapse might be certain people, certain places, or even certain moods. For example, while I may not have any problem with substance abuse, I do have issues handling my depression as well as my anxiety and my self-harm. My triggers include watching videos or movies that pertain to depression and suicide as well as allowing myself to wallow in my own self-pity and negative thinking. Knowing what triggers me allows me to avoid my depression. Once you know what triggers you and you figure out how to remove it from your life, you’ll have an easier time recovering and a better chance of staying that way.
2. Take care of yourself
I cannot put enough emphasis on this point. Whenever you’re struggling with a mental illness or with substance abuse, your first instinct is to throw all self-care out the window and just let yourself waste away. You cannot, under any circumstances, do that. You need to maintain a proper sleep schedule. You need to force yourself to exercise and to stick to a healthy diet. If you’re a creative person, you can spend more time on your art or music and take up meditation. If you find yourself struggling, get in your car or on your bike and go to a therapy session. Whatever you need to do to make sure that you are healthy and thriving, do it. Recovery without self-care is akin to a bike without wheels.
3. Learn healthy coping mechanisms
If you are trying to avoid relapsing, then you most likely do not have any healthy coping mechanisms. Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way is vital to the recovery process. Healthy coping mechanisms include doing anything from knitting to gardening. Whatever takes your mind off of the stress, is healthy, and allows you feel calmer is a good coping mechanism to use during times of overwhelming stress.
4. Be self-reliant but don’t push others away
Maintain your relationships during the recovery process. Human interaction can help you feel better and will keep your mind off of your mental issues or addictions. However, don’t be dependent on those people to make you feel better or solve your problems. No matter how many times you may vent, your friends and family won’t have a response that can help you recover instantly. You’re not alone, but it is your responsibility to work on yourself and to rely on yourself to take control of your recovery.
You can’t always control when you are going to relapse or when you’re going to feel certain moods. Preventative measures can’t always help you from avoiding relapse or from experiencing a bump in the road during the recovery process. When this occurs, seek out treatment from a professional who can help you through this difficult time. Continue to follow through with your preventative measures and stick to your support system. Your future self will thank you for taking the recovery process seriously.
