Chemical dependency is a serious illness that inhibits your capability of making the decision to willingly stop taking drugs or drinking alcohol, despite the negative consequences resulting from this habit. To beat chemical dependency, you must enroll in a recovery program and strictly adhere to it to avoid a relapse. For an individual with chemical dependency, a relapse occurs when you start taking drugs or alcohol again after a period of sobriety. Avoiding a relapse during the recovery phase is a crucial step to any addict because they might never find the motivation to quit the habit during their lifetime. Below are some strategies that can help you to minimize the chances of a relapse during your chemical dependency recovery.
Don't do it alone
Addiction thrives on alienating an individual so that they feel the need to seek solace from the bottle or drugs. To minimize the chances of a relapse, seek a strong social network made up of people who can positively support you during the recovery phase. Examples of strong social systems include the physician seeing you through the recovery process, family and anonymous groups that provide support to addicts. Social interactions with positive minded individuals also minimize the chances of depression or stress, which are considered as major triggers for a relapse. Additionally, close friends and family will cheer you on as you take baby steps towards recovery, which will greatly boost your resolve to beat addiction
Avoidance
Research has showed that avoidance is one of the effective strategies to avoid a relapse during recovery. If you are recovering from any chemical dependence, avoid any slippery situation that may lead you back to your old life. Avoid visiting a club or a bar where the temptation to ask for a drink is too high. Furthermore, do not hang out with your old friends who are not enrolled in any recovery program because they will offer you that drink or heroine and you might just give in. If you must attend a party where drinks are flowing freely, go with a sponsor, a family member or a friend who fully supports your recovery.
Know the triggers
To avoid a relapse, it is important to understand some of the common triggers. According to physicians, certain specific occurrences, such as losing a loved one, going through a divorce or separation, unemployment and financial difficulties have been known to lead to a relapse among recovering addicts. If you are going through a difficult period in your life that makes you to constantly think of taking cocaine or drink alcohol, you must talk to your physician or support group to avoid a relapse. Contact a recovery service, like Bridgeway Recovery Services Inc, for more help.
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