Releasing yourself from the chains of alcohol addiction is not going to be easy. However, it’s going to be worth it. Your rehabilitation won’t be defined by the relapses, but by your decision to remain in recovery despite them. Choosing outpatient rehab is an effective way to treat addiction without interfering with a healthy life. Below are ways you can use to avoid relapse when attending outpatient alcohol rehab in NJ.
Relapse prevention for outpatient alcohol rehab can be a walk on a dark path. This is because you are privy to meeting drinking buddies or passing by the alcohol store after work. So to prevent relapse, you will have to identify triggers and cognitive actions that may cause it. Detecting prompts makes it easier to avoid situations that might lead to alcohol use.
Tips on preventing relapse when attending outpatient alcohol rehab
These tips can help anyone battling addiction.
Staying in a supportive environment
Remember, the goal here is to see you get better. Getting better includes checking the environment around you after walking out of the rehab. Is your environment supportive of your course? Well, I can propose that you remove all alcohol from the house.
If your work environment was a trigger for alcohol consumption, it is time to find a new job. Also, I can propose that you check on your social circle. Hanging out with old drinking buddies after stepping out of the rehab center is not the best place to start avoiding relapses.
Get into distractions
When you have a craving, you can get an activity that can distract you. A desire can quickly disappear in 30 minutes. Here is a list of to-do that I find helping;
- Calling a friend.
- Playing a phone game.
- Counting the number of birds in the sky.
- Watching a movie or listening to loud music.
The goal here is to find something that can engage your mind for a short time until the craving disappears. Cravings come and go, but a distracting activity is the most effective way the time will pass more quickly.
Should you fail to get to your distraction, you can create an imagination of it. Having thought of a pleasurable distraction is as good as having the diversion at hand. Speak to someone who supports you
A thought of relapse is a red flag. So, when it comes, talk to that person who has been supporting you in your recovery journey. The person can be a recovering addict, family, or friends. They will be willing to listen and help you the moment they realize you are struggling. The recovery journey is not one to be done on your own.
There is one benefit to speaking to someone. Guilt and shame are collective emotions in addiction. These are obstacles to recovery that you need to overcome by sharing your feelings.
Start doing self-care
Self-care helps to understand why you are an addict seeking help. You might have been using alcohol to escape, relax, or reward yourself. Acknowledge that this is the benefit you got when drinking and be decisive in finding healthy alternatives.
Self-care can be difficult when you get hard on yourself. You can first start by believing in yourself. You can move to set goals that you want to achieve. In the journey of recovery, self-care goals can entail:
- Abstaining from alcohol altogether.
- Reducing the consumption of alcohol.
- Stopping the use of alcohol but not the other drug in cases where you use multiple drugs.
You can make a blueprint for a healthy lifestyle that can inspire you to be an improved version of yourself and uphold sobriety. I propose you start to learn something new or to pick up a new hobby. They can aid you to focus on your mental and physical welfare.
Rethink on the consequences of relapse
If you are thinking that relapse is taking control of you, sit down and rethink what might happen once you fall off the wagon. Well, before choosing seeking help, you had realized that there were things you had lost or was about to lose.
You might have either lost or been close to losing a relationship, job, or health complications. Will it be worthy of losing them again because of relapse? Is it worth it? If not, then form a commitment plan on how to stay focused on winning the journey.
I believe that your recovery can be won if you avoid relapse. If in need of further help, our counselors are available 24 hours a day to help you. Call us on 833-610-1174.