How You Can Prevent a Relapse: Understanding the Warning Signs

After you’ve gone through addiction recovery and treatment, it’s easy to feel like a new person—for a while. So many people who struggled with substance abuse or addiction in the past experience at least one relapse in their lifetimes, if not more. 

Relapses can be brought on by various things, including stress, your social circle, or other mental health conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rehabilitation centers across the country started to note an uptick in patients going through relapses due to the stress and uncertainty of what was happening in the world. 

Obviously, going through a relapse can make you feel like you’re starting back at square one. It’s frustrating. It’s painful. Worst of all, it can crush your motivation to “start over” and go through rehabilitation again. 

So, what can you do to prevent a relapse? 

Knowing the warning signs is one of the best places to start. When you’re in tune with who you are and know your triggers, you can work harder to avoid relapsing for good. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most common warning signs. 

Losing Faith in Your Path

Most relapses begin with a mental change. Whether you’ve been clean for months years, it’s not uncommon for negative self-talk to creep it's way back into your life and change everything. 

You might start to think your rehab program didn’t work. Or, you might start to question why you wanted to get clean. If you’re starting to express doubts about your own ability to stay sober, take it as a clear sign to fight harder. Trust the process even more. Seek out help immediately so you can get back on the right path and feel confident about it.  

Experiencing Extra Stress

What’s going on in your life can directly impact how easy it is to relapse. 

Most people turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with life. Maybe you initially started using it just to get through a stressful time, and then you couldn’t stop. If that was the case,  you know stress is a trigger.  

Unfortunately, stress is unavoidable. Life happens, and finding better, healthier ways to cope is crucial. 

But, if you know, stress plays a role in your desire to use it, monitor it as much as possible. Surround yourself with support, and make sure you have people to talk to. Try eliminating extra stress from your life whenever you can, and consider talking with a therapist or counselor to learn how to manage it independently.  

Ignoring Your Responsibilities

Has your health, wellbeing, and self-care taken a back seat recently? If you’re ignoring your everyday responsibilities, it’s time to step back and consider that something deeper might be going on. 

Typically, neglecting your responsibilities at work or in your relationships is easier to notice. Think about how you’ve been treating your job lately or your family and friends. Have you been putting yourself out there? Have you been doing your best work? If not, ask yourself why. 

Additionally,  take a look at your personal care. It’s not uncommon for people who are about to experience a relapse to lose interest in things like basic hygiene and self-care. If you’re not quite there yet, it might sound extreme. But, it’s more common than you think. 

The good news? You don’t have to fall victim to substance or alcohol abuse again. By recognizing some of these warning signs early on, you can claim control over your actions and stay strong. 

If you feel like you’re starting to struggle and need someone to talk to, feel free to contact me to set up an appointment. Remember, you’re not alone, and you’re strong enough to get through this. 

Click here for more information on Relapse Prevention Services.