Recovery is a journey of personal growth that is just as unique as you are. Relapse prevention is why most people seek treatment. You have tried many things to combat the disease of addiction; however, doing the same things over and over does not seem to be working. Now, you are seeking change to learn new ways that can help you maintain long-term recovery.
It is not uncommon for people who completed treatment to relapse. That does not mean that you failed. Perhaps it means that a different form of treatment will work better for your individual needs. Understanding your specific treatment needs, triggers, and relapse is important to prevention.
In this article, you will be provided with ways that relapse prevention skills help decrease the chances of relapse. You will also be provided with several examples of relapse prevention skills to manage your recovery and the benefits of these various skills.
What Are Relapse Prevention Skills?
You are in a happy space within your recovery. Completing treatment and learning so much about yourself has allowed you to feel empowered. Your sober life is your new normal, and you continue to make every day your best day. The healthy coping skills that you learned have become daily habits, and life is getting better day by day.
Then it happens; you let your guard down. Or maybe you found yourself in a pressured environment. Whatever the case, you think about drinking or using again. By exploring your warning signs and potential causes of stress, you will be able to prevent a potential relapse in the future. These skills save you from high-risk situations.
A common misconception is that relapse prevention skills should only be utilized when someone is triggered. However, prevention can be used in daily routines to prevent a trigger from occurring.
The Need for Relapse Prevention
During treatment, individual and group therapy helped you with identifying healthy coping skills. You learned many healthy coping skills that can decrease the risk of relapse. Those healthy coping skills can be relapse prevention techniques. These techniques are unique to you and will provide a healthy space if a trigger presents itself. Relapse prevention skills are needed for a happy and healthy life in recovery.
Know Your Triggers
Triggers can be internal or external. You must be aware of your triggers and how they may affect you. When you were in treatment, you became aware of your triggers. It is essential to stay mindful of the situations, people, and events that triggered you then; they can still trigger you now.
Making a list of potential triggers can help you be ready when these triggers occur; doing so will help you gain awareness and reduce the possibility of relapse. You can continue to add to the list as you progress in your recovery. It is important for you to be aware that as you progress, your triggers may change.
Deep Breathing
You breathe without thinking about it. Many people do not know that they can control their responses to events and situations just by changing their breathing patterns. Think about a time when you were upset, and your breathing increased. When your rate of respiration increases, this can cause more emotions to arise. When you take a moment to breathe deeply, you relax and can focus.
Meditation and Yoga for Relapse Prevention
Meditation is a practice that teaches us to pause before reacting. No matter what stress you have in your life, you can benefit from practicing meditation. Relaxing your body is a valuable tool for relapse prevention. Even taking just a few minutes a day to meditate can be life-changing.
Yoga incorporates the perspective of meditation with body movement and can be done in your own space and time. Meditation and yoga are a perfect combination to add to your relapse-prevention skills.
Adventure Therapy
Studies show that being outside in nature is relaxing. It reduces stress, cortisol levels, muscle tension, and heart rates. Along with emotional benefits, being in nature can enhance your sense of connection and balance. There is something magical about being outdoors; breathing in the fresh air can generate a sense of balance.
Adventure therapy uses teamwork and promotes health in a natural setting. This form of therapy releases stress. You can feel a different sense of adrenaline when you are outdoors.
Another benefit of adventure therapy is connection. At the core of recovery, a healthy connection is essential for sustaining long-lasting sobriety. The outdoors can be a venue to connect to others socially who have similar viewpoints and similar struggles.
Alumni Programs
Recovery is an ongoing process. Whether you have been in recovery for 20 days or 20 years, it is important to have healthy and sober support in place. An alumni program can be the healthy support that you have been searching for.
The Guest House believes that recovery is an ongoing journey and will support your path every step of the way. Our alumni program provides unconditional positive regard as you progress in your journey of recovery.
The fear of potential relapse can be exhausting; however, it does not have to be when you have taken steps to prevent relapse from occurring. Learning relapse prevention skills can help guide you to living your best life in recovery. Relapse prevention can also help you learn how to relax with deep breathing and create a sense of focus. A commitment to practicing relapse prevention skills can be what you need. At The Guest House, we value your commitment to developing long-lasting prevention skills that will steer you into the sober life that you have chosen for yourself. We value meeting you right where you are in your journey. Call us today at (855) 483-7800.