When you give in to the urge to go back to drugs or alcohol after starting recovery from addiction, you experience a relapse. As you work through your path toward sobriety, relapse is one of the main obstacles you face. Understanding why people relapse can be crucial in understanding how to avoid putting your own recovery in danger.
In the early stages of sobriety, withdrawal is perhaps one of the biggest causes of relapse. Detoxing from whatever substances you use can bring on symptoms of depression, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, muscle aches and diarrhea, among other things. While many of these symptoms abate in days, you can feel their lasting effects for months.
Medically assisted detoxification has proven to be helpful in many cases of severe, relapse-threatening withdrawals.
People dealing with addiction are more likely to have a mental illness and vice versa. When each of these conditions flares up, they're likely to affect the other one just as negatively.
At Diamond House Detox, our medical practitioners spend a lot of time working with clients diagnosed with co-occurring disorders, or mental illnesses that exacerbate addiction. Getting assistance with your mental health, whether it's during your rehab treatment or after, can make managing both of your conditions that much easier.
Triggers are the things that make you crave substances. Triggers can look different for everyone, but if you've been to rehab, you've likely discussed some of your possible ones. They might be a location you used to go to drink or do drugs, people who you indulged with, strong emotions like stress or anything you associate with times you weren't sober.
To avoid relapsing because of triggers, discover the people, places, emotions and situations that make you want to use again, and stay away from them whenever possible.
Finally, as with all endeavors in your life, it's key to have a strong support system as you work on your sobriety. When the people around you aren't invested in your journey — or even actively encouraging you against it — it's time to reach out to people from rehab or social groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) to find like-minded individuals to help you on your journey.
Find Your Way Back on Track at Diamond House Detox
Almost everyone who goes through recovery will experience a relapse at some point. When you do, the shame can keep you from reaching out for help at the moment you most need it. Diamond House Detox promises to treat you with compassion, whether it's your first time going through relapse and detox or your hundredth, and help you learn new methods for avoiding relapse.
