Triggers to relapse is anything that can make you want to give up your sobriety and fall back to bad habits. It is normal when you first start sobriety to slip back to abusive substances as you are used to using these substances to feel better and are new to all of this. It is important to be aware of any triggers you run into so you know what to do when you confront them.
One common trigger is when you are convinced your problems are over and you feel that you do not need to put much effort into your sobriety. The truth is that while it is good to be confident that you can go through this journey, it will be anything but easy when you first start off. Always keep these tools with you at all times like keeping your sponsor in close contact or attending meetings to ensure that if you slip back, there will be someone there to catch you. Another trigger is not taking responsibility for your addiction. You spend all of your time blaming everything around you like that people who introduced you to drugs or your environment. You will continue to use these excuses so you will feel like a victim and powerless against addiction. It is important to deal with the real cause of your problems and what you can control.
Expectations are another reason people relapse like expecting a quick recovery as soon as they declare that they will no longer drink or do drugs. They may think this declaration is enough to overcome this struggle. Addiction recovery is something that you need to work on every day so that you can have the life you have always wanted. When family and friends have high expectations on you, you could feel pressured to be perfect and never make mistakes again so that they are not disappointed in you. Let your family and friends know that you are still human and that a mistake is never a mistake if you learn from them. Symptoms of depression can also slow you down whether they are from withdrawal or you have always had depression but has been undiagnosed. That is why it is vital to treat both addiction and depression at the same time for a successful recovery. Be aware of your relapse triggers so that you know well how to avoid them.
Located in downtown Midland, The Springboard Center’s mission is to offer programs and services to treat alcohol and drug addiction treatment using an evidence based curriculum, 12 step programs, diet, nutrition, exercise, emotional, mental and spiritual development for a long recovery. For more information, please call us at 432-620-0255 as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
