About Relapse
About Painkiller Abuse Relapse
Entering a rehab center to overcome a prescription medication addiction takes a great deal of bravery. It means finally admitting that you are ready to be freed from this form of chemical dependency. Furthermore, once you have completed rehab, you deservedly should celebrate this accomplishment and be proud of yourself.
Once you return home, however, it is important for you to remain committed to your newly sober life and do all that you can to ensure that you will remain prescription drug-free. You will be able to successfully do this by staying abreast of your recovery and by actively participating in follow-up services. Unfortunately, if you do not regularly work on your recovery, you run the risk of experiencing a relapse. A relapse means that one has resumed the use of prescription medications and needs to reaffirm his or her commitment to being drug-free.
Long-term sobriety is not something attained overnight. But with hard work and a dedicated mindset, relapse is avoidable and a lifetime of good health is possible.
Why It Happens
Reasons Why People Relapse
A very real concern for many individuals who have completed rehab to overcome an addiction to prescription medications is the possibility of relapse. Not to be interpreted as a fault in one’s character or as something that means a person is not strong-willed, relapsing back to the abuse of prescription drugs is something that can happen to even the most determined of individuals.
What is important to know, however, is that a relapse is preventable and one can remain on the path of recovery for the long-term as long as a person has ample support and resources available to stick with this initiative.
The first step one must take to avoid a relapse is to be fully aware of one’s potential triggers. The following are among the many types of triggers that can lead a person to turn to the misuse of prescription medications once more:
- Being around others who are using prescription drugs
- Being coerced by others to abuse prescription medications
- Experiencing pain or some type of emotional strife that one cannot effectively manage without prescription medications
- Feeling as though one will be unable to resist the urge to use prescription drugs
- Experiencing cravings for prescription medications
If you or a loved one has recently completed rehab to defeat an addiction to prescription medications, it is crucial to be aware of the specific and not-so-specific triggers that may result in a relapse. By being more self-aware in this manner, you or an important person in your life will be able to remain successful in the journey towards a sober life.
Prevention
How to Prevent Relapse
If you feel as though you are on the verge of experiencing a relapse, know that you are not alone. Many individuals working to become sober after having battled a prescription drug addiction also experience the strife and hard work involved with maintaining sobriety.
Additionally, if you have relapsed, also know that many others have been in your shoes. And while it may seem as though relapsing is the worst possible outcome for a person who has attended a rehab center and is now in recovery, it is important to remember that reaffirming one’s sobriety is always an option and that it is never too late to become sober once more.
In order to improve your chances of not experiencing a relapse, or avoiding another occurrence of one, it would be beneficial for you to do the following:
- Actively practice your coping skills
- Remain engaged in the aftercare provided by your rehab center
- Seek out aftercare services and/or resources if you were not provided any
- Rely on loved ones when you need them
- Keep in contact with your sponsor
- Secure a sponsor if you do not have one
- Create a daily schedule for yourself so as to occupy your time
- Always inform your doctor that you are in recovery for a prescription medication addiction so that he or she is aware when treating you
- Feel free to reengage in a higher level of care if you need it
- Join a local support group so that you can benefit from group support as well
By adhering to the above recommendations, you will be able to avoid falling into the grips of a prescription medication addiction once more.
If you or someone you care about would like to learn about other ways to prevent a relapse, feel free to contact us at The Camp Recover Center. We are here to help you achieve the truly sober life that you deserve.
