Why are relapse prevention skills so important?

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Rehab centers help clients heal, and they create a foundation that allows them to have long-term recovery. Most of the rehab session involves many therapeutic sessions that will depend on a client’s needs which at the end of the program, a client will develop some strength, vision and the necessary tools to be healthy and stay healthy. However, a patient who has recovery fully may have some relapse, which, if not taken care of, a person may go back to addiction. Therefore, it’s necessary for an individual recovering from any addiction to have prevention skills to live a happy life when recovering. Here are some pieces of advice from experts like those at Mile High Continuing Care Colorado about coping skills that will help to recover individuals prevent relapse.

Why are relapse prevention skills so important?

Self-care

The most common withdrawal symptoms that people recovering from addiction will experience include insomnia and fatigue. These experiences are potential triggers for relapse that when a person starts to feel them, they may want to go back and drink again. It’s important you do a lot of physical exercises and eat balanced diet meals. This will help you get quality sleep. You can do these by setting up a structured sleep, eating, and exercise schedule. This will help you reduce the risk of relapse.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a concept where an individual is taught how to become more self-aware. When you are more self-aware, you will be able to cope well with the potential triggers to relapse. Therefore, it is important as a recovering person to practice mindfulness meditation, and you will be able to remain clean and sober for a long time. During a mindful meditation session, you will be encouraged to learn to roll with the cravings rather than try to fight them. You will learn the skills of accepting that cravings will come and how to let them go.

Know your triggers

Triggers can come in two forms. Some may be internal such as anxiety, anger, irritability, and low self-esteem, while others may be external such as people, things that will remind you of your past life and places. It would be best if you can efficiently list all these triggers to become more aware of every trigger and reduce the risk of relapse.

Join a support group

You can find any recovery support group in your area and participate in some of their activities regularly. These groups will provide you with support, education, accountability, and the ability to meet peers who know what you are going through. By being in the group, you will reduce the feeling of loneliness and the risk of isolation.

Make an emergency contact list

When an urge comes, especially in the early days of recovery, a very helpful way to prevent relapse is to have a list of healthy family members or friends you know went through the recovery program to call them for moral support. Having a person who understands what you are going through can help you get past the craving.

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