Steps To Take After A Drug Relapse

After you've gotten sober from a drug problem, it's important to realize that relapses can occur. Many addicts suffer from relapses, but this doesn't need to be more than a minor bump in the road. If you slip up in this manner, it's important to be gentle with yourself, rather than feel as though you've failed majorly — the latter feeling may compel you to use drugs further, which can make it more difficult to get clean. Instead of getting down, it's critical to take a series of steps with your health in mind. Here are some things that you'll want to do after a relapse.

Remove Yourself From Temptation

One relapse can put you at risk of descending into addiction again, so it's vital to act quickly to remove temptation from your life. If you were traveling with friends who began to use drugs and convinced you to use them, too, you must break away from this group. This could mean checking into a separate hotel, avoiding the group for the remainder of the trip, and even arranging transportation home from a trusted family member or friend. If you physically have drugs in your environment and cannot leave, plan to get rid of the drugs by flushing them down the toilet.

Surround Yourself With Supportive People

Because you may feel some degree of embarrassment or shame after your relapse, you might seek to isolate yourself. Doing so, however, can be detrimental. It's a better idea to surround yourself with people who can support you in a healthy manner. Even if you're upset to share the fact that you've relapsed, non-judgmental individuals around you will help you to stay clean and care for yourself. Think about those who were supporting during your initial attempt at sobriety and plan to contact them.

Get In Touch With Your Treatment Center

Although you could technically seek to get into any treatment center after a relapse, it can be advantageous to focus on the treatment center that you used to initially get clean. You already know that this environment works for you, and you'll likely be comfortable with many of the staff members. Additionally, when you return to the same facility, rehab professionals will already have your case history on file, which will make it easier for them to give you the treatment that you need to get clean once again and create healthy habits that decrease the likelihood of a future relapse.

For more information, contact companies like Brightside Clinic.

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