Substance use disorders are chronic and relapsing conditions.[1] That means that, like any other chronic condition, you may stumble in your recovery and suffer a relapse. The dangers of relapsing are highest right after leaving addiction treatment programs because you’re returning to regular life and to a routine that might itself be triggering. A Connecticut addiction treatment center can help you work through this transition.
To help you better manage the challenges of adjusting to life beyond a rehab program, our team at Connecticut Center for Recovery has several strategies that can have a positive impact on your long-term recovery. Learn more about these actionable steps and how our treatment center can further help.
Why Transitioning From Treatment Facilities Is Difficult
When you enter a rehab program, you’re suddenly surrounded by people who are going through the same thing as you and by those fully committed to helping you navigate the recovery process. Even during outpatient programs, your days are more structured and full of individual and group therapy sessions that keep you actively engaged with your recovery.
The moment you complete the rehab program, that structure is no longer available, and you can feel adrift. You may not have yet established a support system that you can turn to when you’re struggling and could face general anxiety about your ability to remain sober. All of these factors add up to heightened stress levels.
When stress levels rise, so can anxiety and other symptoms that led you to rely on drugs or alcohol in the first place, making it much more difficult to maintain sobriety. There are steps you can take to help yourself, however.
Connecticut Addiction Treatment Center: Strategies for Maintaining Sobriety Out of Rehab
To help you better manage the transition out of official treatment, Connecticut Center for Recovery offers a few key strategies.
Understand Your Triggers
You have internal and external triggers. During treatment at a Connecticut addiction treatment center, it’s likely that you identified the major ones that affect you. Internal triggers can be feelings of anxiety or mental illness symptoms that are distressing enough to encourage you to use substances. Internal triggers can also be negative thoughts that impact your mood and then lead to negative actions.
External triggers can be people, places, and situations that remind you of using drugs or alcohol. Struggling with your finances or dealing with relationship issues can also be triggers. Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can avoid them. You can cut off ties with people you associate with substance misuse, and you can take steps, like practicing mindfulness, to better manage internal stressors that could lead you to relapse.
Build a Strong Support Network
People who try to go through recovery on their own tend to struggle more than those who have a support system in place.[2] It can be challenging to make sober friends, however, especially if you’ve cut off ties with people who are actively using drugs or alcohol. There are lots of support groups you can try, however.
12-step programs are a good place to begin, and you may also find online communities that can help you if you’re struggling to make connections. An important person for anyone in recovery is a sponsor. They’re a reliable person you can contact when you’re battling cravings.
Having a support system in place can help you feel less alone, too. Isolation is another stressor that could lead you to relapse. If you know you’re part of a group, you feel less alone and can speak with others about your challenges.
Have a Relapse Prevention Plan
It’s vital that you recognize the signs that you’re about to relapse and quickly implement your relapse prevention plan. This plan should include step-by-step instructions on who to contact and what to do.
The plan should include information on coping mechanisms you can rely on, like exercising or meditating, so you can shift your focus to something else. You should also know where 12-step programs are in your area so you can attend a meeting. Ensure that the plan is written down and has very detailed instructions so that you can immediately take action.
Prioritize Physical Health
Most people don’t realize just how much impact physical health has on mental health. If your body isn’t getting the proper nutrients or if you’re not sleeping enough, you can struggle with mood disturbances and experience higher stress levels.[3] Keep in mind that your body has already been through significant strain while you had an active addiction, so you want to help it heal by giving it what it needs.
Part of physical health is getting enough exercise. That’s good not only for your body but for your mind, too. Exercise helps you relieve stress because it encourages the production of endorphins while at the same time lowering cortisol and adrenaline.[4]
Continue Getting Treatment After Connecticut Addiction Treatment Center
Just because you’ve completed one treatment program doesn’t mean that you can’t begin another or that you can’t continue getting therapy. In fact, you should do so. It’s likely that you have already uncovered the main reasons why you relied on alcohol or drugs, but mental health services that include individual therapy sessions can continue showing you how to address the challenges you face.
It’s particularly important to do this if you have a dual diagnosis. Mental health concerns that aren’t properly addressed can result in symptoms that could lead you back to substance misuse. Choose individual therapy sessions or try extended care services at treatment centers that can help you solidify your recovery.
Connecticut Addiction Treatment Center: Trusted and Reliable Treatment Options
If you’ve completed an addiction treatment program, you may be worried about how to maintain your sobriety without the structure that rehab offers. By being aware of your triggers and having a clear plan in place for when you’re struggling, you can prevent relapses.
At Connecticut Center for Recovery, we offer extended treatment options for those who might need additional support after completing outpatient programs. We can help you maintain a robust connection with the recovery community while addressing the mental health concerns that you may be battling. By having a team of professionals offering their support, you can have the tools you need to maintain sobriety.
Contact us at Connecticut Center for Recovery to speak with our admissions team.
Sources:
[1] https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10259869/
[3] https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-mental-health
[4] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
Alexis earned both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. She holds licenses in Marriage and Family Therapy in Florida, Connecticut, and Massachusetts and is also a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
Alexis works with families, couples, children, and groups and also has a sub-specialty in addiction and recovery. She utilizes an integrated, systemic approach to counseling; empowering people to define what is not working for them in their lives and to discover the possibilities for making life work. In doing this, clients are guided towards identifying their strengths, accessing their resources, tapping into their potential for success, and taking action toward achieving their desired goals.
Alexis also has extensive experience in the administration of behavioral health organizations. She has developed, built, and supervised several facilities encompassing all levels of care while leading them through state licensing and The Joint Commission accreditation process.
