How Developing Coping Skills Can Help Prevent a Relapse
When you’ve overcome an addiction, you already understand the work and dedication that goes into recovery. That effort can’t end once you’ve completed a treatment program, or even if you’ve been completely clean for months—or years.
That's why relapse prevention skills are something you should take seriously. Far too many individuals relapse, even after a long period of time, and the COVID-19 pandemic taught us this more than ever, as there were spikes in relapses seen across the country.
Thankfully, developing coping skills can help to prevent a relapse. You may have learned short-term skills in an addiction program. But, understanding how to incorporate more long-term habits into your everyday life will make it less likely for you to relapse and easier to stay on track.
With that in mind, let’s look at how developing coping skills can prevent a relapse and what you should be doing each day.
They Help You Take Care of Yourself
Self-care is more than just a way to “treat yourself.” It can include developing a healthy routine, eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep. By making it a part of your everyday life, you can retrain your mind and body.
Doing so provides you with natural coping skills. You’ll be less influenced by certain triggers like stress because you’re taking good care of yourself. You’ll also feel better, physically and mentally, which will reduce the desire and dependency on any type of alcohol or substance.
They Make it Easier to Recognize Your Triggers.
Many people use the ‘HALT’ set of coping skills to avoid a relapse. It’s a way of checking in on your own emotions when you’re struggling. Ask yourself if you feel any of the following:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
These are common triggers for substance abuse. When you’re in the thick of an addiction, it’s easy to let your emotions drive. Learning how to cope with your emotions puts you back in control. That often requires taking a moment to pause so you can recognize how you’re feeling. Once you’re able to do that, you can effectively work through the emotion rather than try to numb it.
They Will Keep You Present
One issue some people face is falling back into old thought patterns. Again, a lot of this has to do with what used to trigger you. But now, those triggers might look a bit different and it’s important to recognize that.
For example, it’s not uncommon to feel guilty or stressed over the way your life used to be. It’s also understandable to have concerns about the future. But when those thoughts start to take over, they can contribute to feelings of anxiety and make it easier to relapse.
Mindfulness is a coping skill you should be practicing every day. You don’t have to meditate or do anything special to “master” it. Simply close your eyes for a few minutes and focus on nothing but your breathing, your body, and your surroundings. Mindfulness is about staying fully in the present and letting any stress about the past or future pass you by.
The beauty of mindfulness is that you can take a break and do it at any time. It’s a beneficial skill to have that can make a big difference if you’re struggling.
Developing coping skills to prevent relapse should be a top priority. These skills will make your life easier. The stronger they become, the less you’ll stress or worry that you might relapse or take a step backward.
If you want to learn more about different coping skills or need help developing them, please contact me for more information.
You’ve already put in the hard work, now you can learn how to maintain your achievements for a lifetime.
Click here for more information on Relapse Prevention Services.