San Diego Sober Living - Recovery

How Can I Keep from Relapsing After I Get Sober?

When you look at the basics of addiction recovery strategies, you’ll find they all share the goal of preventing relapse situations. In fact, this is an important aspect of Solana Beach sober living facilities such as Casa Pacifica. If individuals are able to complete the program without having to worry about relapse, the rest of their journey toward recovery should be smoother. Every stage of recovery entails a risk of relapse, which is why understanding how to prevent such situations is crucial for those who wish to stay sober.

Treating Relapse as a Process

In the September 2015 issue of the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, Canadian addiction recovery specialist Steven Melemis recommended looking at relapse as a gradual process instead of a sudden incident. Some individuals go through several stages of relapse, but most people in recovery will only be aware of the mental, emotional, and physical stages. The mental stage involves thinking what it might be like to use once again. The emotional stage is when inner bargaining justifies relapse. The physical stage may be a lapse instead of a full relapse. For example, a recovering alcoholic may choose to drink a single beer, but the subsequent fear and regret could derail the rest of the journey.

Relapse Prevention as a Recovery Milestone

“One day at a time” is the tenet of the Alcoholics Anonymous program that sums up relapse prevention. Recovery is all about personal growth. It thrives on reaching milestones of individual development, and avoiding relapse should be one of these milestones. In the world of AA, each meeting and each day spent without drinking or using is a goal accomplished.

Relaxation, Introspection, & Counseling

Overcoming addictions can be accomplished through the development of holistic practices as well as coping skills. While it’s true that many individuals also need medications to get them through the early parts of their journeys, all recovery candidates will have to reformulate their thought processes, and this requires contemplation, professional advice, and relaxation techniques. These are therapeutic tools that can pave the way to sobriety, and they also help patients understand that relapse is something they can distance themselves from. When the knowledge gained from these tools is put into practice, people are able to handle peer pressure, emotional crossroads, and risky situations.

Adhering to Personal Rules

It’s not realistic to assume relapse will never happen for someone who has completed a sober living facility program. It’s realistic to live by the following rules:

• Honesty should always be practiced, even when going through relapse
• Exercise and meditation help people stay away from relapse risks
• Living sober means crafting a life in which living is easier without liquor or drugs
  

While we all need to live by a set of rules, those who are on journeys to recovery need them even more. Deviating from the rules could cause relapse, which is why those who appreciate sobriety will try not to bend them. 

If you’re newly sober and you need help with avoiding relapse, call on the compassionate team at Casa Pacifica. Along with providing sober living housing for men in Solana Beach, we work with our individual residents to develop customized plans that integrate treatment, aftercare, and recovery support. Our services include sober companionship, coaching, and mentorship for those who are recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. For more information about our sober living facilities, call us today at (760) 230-2996.