56% of outpatient rehab patients relapse and 45.33% of inpatient rehabbers relapse. Unfortunately, relapse is common. Knowing this information can help you keep fighting for sobriety.
Many people deal with relapse, but it’s not the end of the road. Sobriety is a long journey and it’s going to take time to figure out.
Keep reading to learn about common ways to stay sober when life becomes a challenge.
1. Understand Your Triggers
One of the most helpful ways to stay sober is to identify and understand your triggers associated with substance use. These might be external or internal triggers.
Situations, things, places, and people are external triggers that could lead to substance cravings. Internal triggers are emotions, thoughts, and feelings associated with substance abuse.
After identifying your personal risks, create a plan to avoid them. Some of the most common triggers people with addiction struggles deal with are:
- Job or financial problems
- Relationship troubles
- Environmental cues
- Emotional distress
- Stress
- People still using drugs or alcohol
There are different ways to cope with these triggers. A great outpatient program can teach you coping mechanisms that you can utilize in uncomfortable situations.
2. Utilize Healthy Coping Skills
Good habits to prevent relapse include removing yourself from the situation and setting boundaries. You can also incorporate these activities into your daily life to manage triggers:
- Making healthy meals or snacks
- Mindful meditation
- Quality time with family and friends
- Joining a gym or competitive sport
- Participating in support groups or AA meetings
- Going to therapy
Having a support network or someone to talk to can help you get through the toughest moments. Also integrating an alcohol detox at home into your daily regimen can significantly enhance your ability to manage triggers, serving as a foundational step towards reinforcing these good habits and maintaining your sobriety.
3. Recognize Relapse
A relapse can sneak up on you because you don’t know the warning signs. A relapse starts before you pick up a substance. Common warning signs of relapse are:
- Engaging in self-defeating behaviors
- Returning to addictive thinking patterns
- Thinking less rationally
- Behaving irresponsibly
- Seeking comfort from people using drugs and alcohol
If you find yourself in a situation where substance use seems like the only way to escape from the pain, fight the thoughts. Remember your good habits and how it felt withdrawaling from Fentanyl or another substance in the first place.
4. Avoid Old Routines
Sober living can help you avoid old routines that lead to substance abuse. If you’ve committed to quitting drugs and alcohol, you need to make lifestyle changes.
It’s easy to slip back into old behaviors and habits, but this is how relapse begins.
Your immediate changes need to include hanging out with people who don’t use substances. Start building healthy relationships with new people if you don’t have anyone but drinkers and drug users in your life.
Consider your personal triggers and come up with the best plan of action to avoid them.
Preventing Relapse: Ways to Stay Sober
These are four of the best ways to stay sober and prevent a relapse. Sobriety is a lifelong journey and setbacks might happen. The best way to move forward is to incorporate these strategies and life changes into your daily routine.
Understand your triggers, use coping skills, recognize the signs of relapse, and avoid old routines. Consider seeking professional help because you shouldn’t have to go down this road alone.
