It is important to remember that despite seeking drug and alcohol treatment, it doesn’t guarantee you a life of sobriety.  Living with addiction becomes habitual to sufferers and represents a comfort zone they are reluctant to leave, but once committed to rehab and recovery, these issues can seem less overwhelming. Relapse is a risk throughout any alcohol or drug detox program and is something that is triggered by a number of things including stress, anxiety and depression. For that reason, stress management is of utmost importance throughout the detox, rehab and recovery processes to ensure unhealthy behaviors aren’t triggered going forward.

Develop Coping Mechanisms to Reduce Your Stress Levels

Seek Support from Others

A support network of family and friends is invaluable for someone who has just completed inpatient addiction treatment. Having others around who are empathetic, understanding, and supportive is extremely beneficial, particularly when in recovery and recovering addicts are also held more accountable for their behavior going forward, which reduces the chance of relapse.

Attend Group Meetings

Mixing with others who have similar back stories is very liberating after addiction treatment and can provide great support when faced with difficult situations that could potentially trigger a relapse. Sponsors are very helpful in providing support whenever it’s needed and talking through trigger points with them goes a long way towards dealing with the issue of relapse and preventing it.

Seek Distractions

It is often when the mind isn’t occupied that thoughts turn to substance abuse. For many recovering addicts boredom or lack of purpose can trigger relapses. Taking part in leisure events of interest with like-minded people who are sober is a good way of distracting thoughts from substance or alcohol use.

Mindfulness Practices

Learning how to quiet the mind and reduce anxiety through mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation can also act as a coping mechanism to protect against relapse. Returning to use substances after treatment is often in response to difficult situations where self-medication would have been the response prior to rehab. Through the deep breathing techniques learned in yoga and meditation, it is possible to alter negative responses to trigger situations and prevent a relapse into addictive behavior.

Stress-Free Recovery from Addiction in Laguna Niguel, CA

Capo Canyon Recovery is a specialist drug and alcohol addiction detox center, offering programs that include various techniques to reduce any associated feelings of stress or anxiety you may be experiencing. We offer a welcoming and accepting environment at our recovery center here in Laguna Niguel, CA. To find out more about stress-free drug or alcohol detox, contact us for a discussion in complete confidence today. Read More on the Blog: How to Curb Cravings in Detox and Beyond