- Be sure to start each day with a clean home or room
- Get rid of cash and paraphernalia
- Daylight is important so open your windows to let the sunlight come in
- Keep your refrigerator well stocked with healthy snacks, fruits, and vegetables
- Post your recovery intentions somewhere you look every day
Are you at risk for a relapse?
Happy March! While Spring doesn’t officially start this year until March 20th, it can be nice to know now that we are only days away from warmer weather and longer days.
This week I would like to focus on relapse and what we can do to prevent one. Relapse is very common but if you can absolutely prevent one by recognizing the early triggers and you must be committed to do something about it.
Here are some internal signs that you might be thinking about a relapse:
- Not being able to think clearly (brain fog, sleepiness, etc.)
- Not being able to manage your emotions
- Difficulty remembering things
- Buckling too easily under pressure or stress
- Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
- Feeling especially clumsy
- Feeling guilty
If you are experiencing any of these signs you may be headed for a relapse. The good news is, is that you can prevent this. Start today by making a list of things you can do to get past these feelings. How can you distract yourself or work through them?
5 Tips for Loving someone who Struggles with an Addiction
When someone you love gets sucked into the whirlwind of an addiction it can create intense emotional struggles that can make things worse. You cannot help who you love and you can’t just stop loving someone because they’re going through an incredibly difficult time. You can though open your heart and try to approach the situation using love and compassion.
5 Tips for Loving Someone who struggles with Addiction
- Stop living in the past
- Don’t mistake enabling for love
- Forgive them
- Believe in them
- Recognize their effort
Creating your own treatment plan – using balance
When I was a chemical dependency counselor for an outpatient program I would often ask my clients why this time was different. You see, most of my clients were there for the second, third, fourth, etc. time. While having these really difficult conversations I truly believed, for the most part, that my clients were genuinely committed to making it work. They were eager, ambitious, and motivated. To start with. The sad reality was that the door just kept revolving. Some clients dropped out, some went to jail, and others relapsed. For those who did complete the program, we would send them off with their resources and tools that they needed to keep their sobriety going. A few months later, some of those clients came back.
Only about 30% of those who attend a drug rehab facility will be able to maintain sobriety by using complete abstinence. Although there are many variables to consider including environmental, emotional, and psychological circumstances, it is important to know that the majority of people who have every intention of leading a sober life fail to do so even with the most expensive treatment options. You can read more about what goes in to the statistical outcomes here: http://www.naadac.org/assets/1959/whitewl2012_recoveryremission_from_substance_abuse_disorders.pdf
So what it is about the low success rate for in-patient and outpatient drug rehabilitation programs?
What are we asking people to do? We are asking people to quit their jobs, fork over a ton of cash, leave their families for 90 days, and then expect them to return back to their normal life, fully prepared to deal with the circumstances that they once left.
So, how can someone actually be successful when it comes to recovery and maintaining sobriety? They can create their own plan. Their own plan must consider every single barrier that may or may not happen and having a well thought out balanced plan is the key to success.
Why Proper Planning is Important
Today we are continuing to talk about making plans to quit. Making a plan to quit may seem very daunting. Sure, some people may tell you to suck it up or to just do it. We know it’s not that easy. In order to be successful, proper planning must take place.
The first thing you need to do is take a look at all the times you tried to quit. Why were those ventures unsuccessful? What got in the way? These barriers can range from support to work or even just being in the wrong program. How was your mindset?
Now think of ways you might self-sabotage. Self-sabotage is when you create barriers that force you to fail. For example, you might accept a wedding invitation to an open bar, knowing you are vulnerable. This time, think of everything that might get in the way and come up with a solution. One solution to this example is to attend the wedding with a sober friend or simply not go.
Do you ever watch those TV shows where a family does an intervention and within 24 hours the addict is admitted to a rehab facility? That’s not reality. For most people, up and leaving right this moment is not even an option. With proper planning, you can do it. You can even do it without checking yourself into a facility.
We cannot stress enough how proper planning is an absolute must. Create your own plan. Do you think it would be better to quit cold turkey or taper down? Remember, everyone has a different situation. What about family, friends, work, or school?
Making plans to quit will not be easy but it is absolutely necessary. And guess what? Follow your own plan and you might be surprised. Don’t get discouraged about bumps along the way. Remember, you can always start again.