Finding the Strength to Prevent Post-Treatment Relapses
Drug and alcohol addiction recovery is not confined to one specific moment, day or even month. It is a lifelong journey that continues long past the initial drug rehabilitation phase, and every day you must make the choice to live a sober lifestyle. In many cases, this journey includes roadblocks, trials and curveballs, but nonetheless, sobriety is always worth it.
Here are just a few tips to prevent post-treatment relapses:
Develop a Strong (and Sober) Support System
Always remember this: Your family and friends are proud of you for completing addiction rehabilitation and want to see you succeed. Surround yourself with these loved ones and look to them for emotional and mental support following drug treatment. Make sure your social circle is comprised of people who understand how hard you’ve worked to maintain sobriety and who respect that decision.
Continue with the 12-Step Program
The 12-Step Program is used in our 90-day treatment program and our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). We firmly believe the stages of the 12 Steps are essential for recreating your life following drug and alcohol addiction. The principles outlined in these steps aren’t just for the initial rehabilitation phase – they are meant to be practiced for the rest of your life. Talk to our team about finding a 12-Step community near you.
Avoid Situations that Involve Drugs and Alcohol
Life before drug rehab most likely included numerous triggers – people, places, events, situations, etc. – that largely contributed to the issue of addiction in the first place. Reduce the chance of a drug relapse by avoiding these triggers altogether. Replace those old social outings with activities from our alumni program.
Engage in Healthy Outdoor Activities
Replace the pre-treatment, triggering situations with new, healthy settings following drug rehabilitation. We strongly recommend the power of nature and engaging in outdoor therapy. With the Rocky Mountains as our playground, hiking, rock climbing, skiing, fishing, etc. are great alternatives to unhealthy situations that could lead to a relapse.
Set Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
A key component of maintaining sobriety is remembering why you came this far to begin with. Help keep this purpose alive by setting short-term and long-term goals, e.g., career advancement, saving to buy a house, learning a second language, spending more time with family, etc. These little lights at the end of the tunnel can help tremendously through the difficult times of recovery.
Your long-term addiction recovery journey starts with Choice House. Contact us to learn more about our Boulder County drug rehabilitation program: 720-577-4422 or hello@choicehouse.com.