There are a number of reasons that people relapse after they have been sober for some time. For some people, relapse is a result of not having learned how to cope with their triggers in a healthy way. In other cases, it’s simply the development of new coping skills or techniques that they never learned how to use during their first round of sobriety.
Regardless of the reason, relapse is common. However, the good news is that people can learn more and practice new coping skills and relapse prevention techniques that will help them stay sober and avoid future relapses. Here are the top 5 skills you should learn if you want to stay sober and live a happy life.
Self-Care
Self-care is an important aspect of sobriety because it gives you the tools to make better decisions for your sobriety. There is no way you can be 100% sober at all times. You have to balance your sobriety with all of the many things you do in your life. People usually refer to this balance as the “spiral of sobriety.”
It is about having the tools and coping skills you need to be self-sufficient. Sometimes it’s about figuring out what triggers you. Learning how to handle the triggers is the most important piece of self-care.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a technique that enables you to relax your mind to concentrate on and enjoy your life more. Meditation isn’t generally understood, but it can help you manage your triggers and redirect your mind away from relapse, trauma, and stress.
Meditation can also help you feel less angry and give you a greater sense of calm and peace of mind. Learn how to meditate and then use that skill as a tool for sobriety.
Bonding With Others
Bonding with others and reaching out to others is one of the most important ways to stay sober. Building a supportive, loving community can help you feel less isolated and help you establish a support network.
Know Your Triggers
When you first get sober, you’re taking baby steps into a new life. At first, you may experience a higher risk of relapse. This is because you have a much lower tolerance for substance abuse. But as you develop other coping skills and ways to cope with triggers, your ability to tolerate alcohol will increase over time.
As you get further into sobriety, you’ll have more control over your triggers. So, if you know how to stop yourself when you start to get overly anxious or when you begin to feel the need to resort to your old habits, you’ll be much more likely to keep yourself sober.
Recognize the Stages of Relapse
Most people who relapse go through many phases in their relapses. Sometimes, it takes a long time for them to realize what’s going on. During the first few times that they relapse, they try to cover up their behaviors, stay out of trouble, and go back to their old ways as soon as possible.
However, in some cases, they know what they are doing, and they simply can’t stop themselves. One thing that you can do to prevent relapse is to pay close attention to what you are doing and why you are doing it. The more you can identify the specific triggers for your relapse, the higher the recovery rate.
Relapse is no fun, but it is something that you can work hard to avoid. Remember, the faster you stop substance abuse, the sooner you can get back to your previous level of happiness, and the sooner you can go back to living your dream life.
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