Month: August 2020

6 Signs to Have Expert Addiction Treatment

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 12, 2020
No Comments on 6 Signs to Have Expert Addiction Treatment

A common refrain among people who are struggling with addiction is that they “can quit whenever they want”. Some of them can’t even see the signs that they need professional addiction treatment.

In many cases, drug and alcohol addicts are unwilling or unable to recognize that they have an addiction. They believe that while the drug is helping them in some way, they would be able to without it if they want.

The issue, to their mind, is that the rest of the world fails to see that they are using the drugs because they are choosing to – not because they are driven by any addiction. By failing to recognize the signs of addiction, many addicts lose out on getting help in the form of expert addiction treatment.

The problem is that the further you fall into addiction, the more difficult it is to see that you have a problem. Many substances temporarily or permanently change your perceptions of the world around you, so you gradually lose the ability to maintain a sense of what is reasonable. Therefore, while it is obvious to your friends and family members that you need help, you yourself may be unable to see that.

If you are in a situation where friends and family members keep telling you to seek professional addiction treatment, you need more perspective on the subject. Take a look at the top six signs that you need expert addiction treatment.

#1 Your Physical Or Mental Health Is At Stake

There is a strong correlation between addiction and both physical and mental health. This relationship works both ways: there are physical and mental illnesses that can either lead to the addiction or make it more dangerous, and the addiction can result in physical and mental health conditions that were not present before.

These impacts vary greatly from one person to another, depending on age, state of health, the substances being used, and a variety of other factors.

Professional addiction treatment should be seriously considered if any of the following applies:

You have a pre-existing physical or mental illness that is worsening as a result of your drug or alcohol use
You continue to use drugs or alcohol in spite of feeling ill after ingestion
You have started experiencing palpitations, difficulty breathing, or blood pressure that is higher or lower than usual
You experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhea that appears to be linked to your use of drugs or alcohol
You have started experiencing paranoia or hallucinations of any kind
You have thoughts of self-harm or suicide, whether you have acted on these or not
Prescription medications that you use have stopped working for their intended purpose, or they have started producing side effects that were not there before

The physical and mental effects described above are top signs you need professional addiction treatment. It is important not to underestimate the risks of drug abuse to your physical and mental health. In some cases, ignoring these dangers can have fatal consequences.

#2 Your Substance Use Coincides With A Crisis

Addiction is not usually a condition that “just happens”. It is deeply rooted in context, meaning it arises as a direct result of something that is going on in your life. Examples of this include the following:

You have been in an accident and you have been prescribed opioid medication for pain relief
You are mourning the loss of a loved one
You have suffered a job loss or you are experiencing a financial crisis
You have witnessed or experienced trauma or abuse
You are experiencing problems in a relationship with someone significant, such as an intimate partner or a child

Dealing with any one of these things alone can be challenging. However, when you add addiction to the mix, you are dealing with more than you should be expected to without help.

If you find yourself turning to a substance or alcohol while thinking things over, it’s one of the signs you need professional addiction treatment. Whether you’re in the USA or Canada, get expert help.

By getting expert addiction treatment, you can be guided through the process of eliminating your reliance on the drugs you are addicted to. More importantly, you also receive support as you deal with the root cause of the addiction.

#3 Drug Use Occupies A Lot Of Your Time

If you find that you are spending a lot of time getting drugs, using drugs, or recovering from using drugs, chances are you can benefit from expert addiction treatment. Drug or alcohol use may become your main priority. It is the only thing you care about, to the exclusion of everything and everyone around you.

If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you’ve just discovered one of the signs you need expert addiction treatment.

You find it difficult to think of anything except drugs
You have lost interest in activities that were previously important to you
After using drugs, you immediately start thinking of when you can use again
You choose drugs over spending time with friends and family members
You skip work or school in order to use drugs
You back out of previously agreed-on social engagements
You feel anxiety when you do not have access to drugs or alcohol

#4 You Behave Recklessly After Using Drugs

Many substances, including alcohol, have the power to take away your perceptions of danger. This results in you engaging in behaviour that is risky and reckless, in spite of the potential dangers. Unfortunately, this can result in harm, not only to yourself but to someone else.

Examples of this include the following:

Driving a car or operating machines or tools that are potentially dangerous
Engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour without taking proper precautions
Committing an act of assault
Committing vandalism, breaking and entering, or any other criminal offence
Committing any act of self-harm or attempted suicide
Jumping into a body of water

These behaviours can have long-term consequences for you and the people around you. Someone may lose their life as a result of impaired driving, reckless sexual behaviour can lead to pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease. In the same vein, you may find yourself in trouble with the justice system after engaging in criminal activity. If you have done any of these things even once – whether or not there were long-term consequences – it’s one of the signs you should seek expert addiction treatment.

#5 You Have Tried To Quit Before

Alternating cycles of relapse and recovery are common in addiction. If you are using drugs or alcohol after a long period of abstinence, you may be inclined to tell people, “I’ve quit once, I can do it again.” The problem with this line of thinking is that it ignores the reasons for your relapse. Also, if your first attempt at quitting happened without professional help, you are unlikely to have worked on the underlying causes of the addiction.

Addiction in itself is frequently not the problem – it is a symptom of an underlying problem, and if that problem is not resolved, the addiction will keep coming back.

Relapse does not mean you have failed, it simply means that something was not addressed during your attempt to quit. Maybe you have a physical dependence on the drug, maybe you need some help with underlying mental health issues, or perhaps you are struggling to come to terms with unresolved past trauma. Whatever the reason is, a program of professional addiction treatment can help you.

#6 You Experience Withdrawal Symptoms When You Don’t Use The Drug

As your body and mind become more dependent on drugs or alcohol, you may get to the point where you actually need the drug in order to function. Depriving your body of the substance, even for a short period of time, may result in uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms including:

Nausea and vomiting
Palpitations
High blood pressure
Headaches
Anxiety
Paranoia
Insomnia
Loss of appetite.

Some people experience severe depression that puts them at risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. In some cases, withdrawal can be fatal.

The symptoms of withdrawal can be so intense that you seek out more drugs, just to make the symptoms stop. If you have reached this point, professional addiction treatment and rehab should be considered.

How To Get Expert Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a debilitating condition that can have devastating impacts on many areas of life, but with the right help, it is treatable. At 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we provide fully customized addiction treatment plans for each individual, based on their unique needs, circumstances and personality.

Treatment modalities include group, individual and family therapy, art and music therapy, life coaching, yoga and meditation, fitness and nutrition counselling, and other methods. The best part is our support continues when your time in rehab is over. This comes in the form of a comprehensive aftercare program. To get started, call us at 805-601-0555.

Tags Addiction Treatment

Addiction Treatment Tips

The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation In Addiction Treatment

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 12, 2020
No Comments on The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation In Addiction Treatment

The two primary ways of treating addiction problems are behavioural and pharmacological therapies. The former is our concern here. Vital to understanding behavioural treatment is realizing the benefits of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment.

Behavioural therapies work their ways from outside to locate triggers that lead to drug use. When found, an attempt is made to switch these triggers off or instill a different reaction.

If you think behavioural therapies include unlocking chakras to attain sublime freedom, you’re right. It seems impossible, but it is most important in long-term addiction management to prevent relapse.

In this blog, we will help you define the meaning of mindfulness for addiction treatment. Furthermore, we will explore the amazing benefits of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment.

Why Mindfulness Therapy is Important

If behavioural therapy was a whole, mindfulness would represent about 70% of it. Here’s why:

All addiction problems have an emotional origin. You either start using because you’re scared, anxious, angry, threatened, pressured, or depressed.
You birth these emotions from a place of unhealthy desire. Ronald Alexander – a top psychologist, describes this state as a “wanting mind”. A severe lack of satisfaction and fulfillment in your present life characterizes it. You constantly find yourself thinking about what could have been if you took some steps you didn’t take some 5, 10, or 15 years ago. How better your life could have been; how you could be riding the fastest cars and more.
The wanting mind sucks you into the vacuum of the fantasy world you want to live in. Trust life to constantly splash the cold water in your face, pulling you back into what you believe is a harsh reality.
The constant back and forth between the two worlds you’ve managed to build for yourself affects you. The anger, frustration, pressure, and depression are factors that push you into using.
You don’t even see these things coming. It is neither easy to look back head-deep in addiction and locate the source of the problem.
Here’s where mindfulness meditation comes in.

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

The benefits of mindfulness/meditation during addiction treatment are immense. However, the best part is that the practice is very straightforward, yet amazingly powerful. Essentially, it’s a series of cognitive-behavioural therapies that help you become mindful of the unhealthy emotions that trigger addiction.

The same emotions that trigger an addiction sustain them. When you find them, mindfulness meditation helps you loosen your grasp and let go. This is the only real, lasting way to the freedom that you crave. It doesn’t just help you break free from the powers of addiction. It also enables you to live your best life in the present reality.

What makes us human, if not our ability to desire? Even the present world we live in was borne out of a cumulation of desires from different people, at different times. We’re beneficiaries of the change these people wanted.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with longing for a better future. What’s unhealthy is mindlessly wishing to change the past, and believe the future is not worth experiencing.

Mindfulness Meditation and the Brain

One of the benefits of mindfulness for addiction treatment is increased control. With mindfulness meditation, you have control over the behaviours you before-hand excused as ‘natural.’ You subject yourself to an unparalleled level of discipline, by consciously learning trained behaviours.

Mindfulness meditation debunks scientific claims that the brain’s plasticity suffers after childhood. Sarah Lazar is a renowned researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital. Time and over again, she has proved how mindfulness meditation re-wires the brain. In one of her researches, she proved that mindfulness meditation is associated with increased cortical thickness and denser gray matter.

Your bilateral, prefrontal right insular region is not left out. Never mind the complexity of the name. It’s the region of your brain that commands optimism, general well-being, an amazing sense of creativity, and curiosity. This part of your brain also improves your observation power as to how your mind works. Interesting, isn’t it?

Here’s the best part: the benefits of mindfulness meditation for addiction treatment that you get as a beginner can match those of folks who have been practicing several years. All it takes is a few hours every day. It’s a small price to pay for a free, transformed life.

Mindfulness meditation takes you on a journey of self-discovery. And it is not always pleasant.

Ignorance is bliss. So, sometimes, we put up serious defence mechanisms when it’s time to open that chapter of our lives. We want to know nothing, yet somehow need to know everything. These defences belittle the consequences of your addiction problem and make you believe that you might not need to change. And change is difficult.

When you feel like you’ve struck a nerve, take special notes, and tell your counsellor/psychologist about it. Break those strongholds, and you stand an actual shot at freedom.

Mindfulness Meditation and Your Hormones

In the previous section, we show how mindfulness and meditation can rewire the brain and behavioural patterns. But there’s more to the benefits of mindfulness for addiction treatment.

There’s more science to mindfulness meditation than its relationship with the brain. Triggering the parasympathetic nervous system in the brain will reduce the circulation of some hormones too.

Cortisol is the hormone your body produces whenever you’re either mentally or physically stressed. Cortisol significantly weakens your immune system, causing an eventual breakdown. Then, you must rest. See? The body always collects!

Nonetheless, cortisol and adrenaline are hormones that are key in generating appropriate responses to dangerous situations. When in excess amounts in the body, however, they could cause serious problems.

Here’s another critical benefit of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment: when you mindfully meditate, you immensely reduce the concentration of cortisol in your blood.

Consequently, you boost your immunity and equip your body with powers to fight withdrawal symptoms during the detoxification process.

How to To Do Mindfulness Meditation

During addiction treatment, you can harness the benefits of mindfulness meditation in 4 easy steps:

Get comfy: In a quiet place, sit upright in a cushion. Rest your head and shoulders comfortably, and place your hands on your legs.
Breathe: Do what keeps you alive, but only with more intention and consciousness. Savour every breath; feel every chest movement.
Focus: It’s hard to only focus on your breathing, but it’s what you must do. It’s good to notice other thoughts trying to infiltrate your space. Don’t give them a second of your attention time. If it helps your focus, count your breaths.

Religiously do this for 20 minutes every day to enjoy maximum effect. You don’t even have to do it alone. At addiction treatment centers in Canada, there’s a small community of people like you and an expert tutor to guide you.

Conclusion

The benefits of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment are many. It promotes every fibre of your being that exudes grace, optimism, compassion, confidence, and all the positive emotions in the world (all these usually originate from the left side of the brain).

It does all this while simultaneously depressing negative emotions like fear, anger, anxiety, and hatred. So, does mindfulness help with addiction treatment? There’s only one way to find out – try it!

Mindfulness meditation demands your intention, consistency, and discipline. Other people’s lives have changed before their eyes. Yours won’t be an anomaly. Don’t belittle its simplicity; instead, embrace its power.

Are you having addiction problems? Are you suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms? Have you failed at an attempted mindfulness meditation because you find it abstract? Use our in-patient addiction rehab for the best care and guidance in Canada and the USA. Call 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

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Sobriety

Tips For Maintaining Sobriety During Social Distancing

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 12, 2020
No Comments on Tips For Maintaining Sobriety During Social Distancing

This year has been a roller-coaster. It’s why subjects like the tips for maintaining sobriety during social distancing are important. Few people will disagree that in 2020, life has been turned upside down. People with the most stable lives are feeling disoriented and insecure.

This is because they grapple with changes to their employment, the need to juggle working from home with helping school-aged children with their learning, and the stress of suddenly having the whole family under one roof all the time. For those with addictions, staying sober through COVID-19 poses some unique challenges.

How The Pandemic Puts Addicts At Risk

Being an addict during normal times puts you at risk of physical and mental health complications, broken relationships, financial ruin, and a host of other consequences. Being an addict during a pandemic adds to this. Before you can figure out how to avoid relapse – or how to attain sobriety – you first need to ensure your own survival.

Maintaining Sobriety: The Challenges For Those Who Are Actively Using Drugs Or Alcohol

In Ontario, and in many other parts of North America, the provision of alcohol has been regarded as an essential service since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak. However, for many people, it may have become more difficult to obtain alcohol. Most retail locations have imposed limits on the numbers of people allowed in at a time.

Supply is challenging for people who use other substances as well. Many doctors have temporarily suspended their family practices in order to help meet the rising demand for medical professionals in hospitals, and others have turned to virtual consulting. This makes it more difficult to get extra prescriptions for opioid medications.

Quarantine and lockdown rules will also have interfered with the supply of illicit street drugs. Also, the shutdown of many workplaces means a drying up of the cash flow that previously funded the addiction.

While some people may think this creates the perfect opportunity to force addicts into staying sober through COVID-19, it creates a potentially dangerous situation for them. Now, they face the risk of serious withdrawal symptoms at a time when hospitals are prioritizing the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Dealing With Interruptions In Services

Also at risk are addicts who have already stopped using their substances and are already learning ways to stay sober after addiction treatment. For some recovering addicts, the Coronavirus outbreak has meant a temporary suspension of support group meetings, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Those who are earlier in their recovery journey may have had their inpatient addiction treatment programs cut short.

Not only would they have been discharged prematurely, without having learned all of the life skills they need to stay sober, but they may also have been sent back into home situations that are triggering for them. As a result, knowledge of the tips for maintaining sobriety during social distancing is critical.

Living With A High Risk Of COVID-19 Complications

Active and recovering addicts face another potential hurdle: the fact that their period of substance abuse may have impacted their physical health in ways that increase their risk of complications from COVID-19 itself.

Being among the vulnerable population, a lot of addicts may be forced to follow stricter quarantine protocols than the people around them. This can lead to increased levels of anxiety and depression.

Tips For Maintaining Sobriety During The COVID-19 Pandemic

No matter where you are in your addiction journey, there are things you can do to make it easy yourself. These tips are important for maintaining sobriety during social distancing.

One of our silver linings during these traumatic times is the fact that the Internet has enabled us to remain connected. While there is nothing on earth that can replace face-to-face interaction, we are not quite as isolated as people were during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919. Many, but not all, of the following tips for maintaining sobriety centres around the use of technology.

Maintain Your Human Connections

It is said that no one is an island. This is certainly true of people in all stages of addiction. Whether quarantine nudges you into sobriety sooner than expected, or you are looking for ways to maintain already-established sobriety, you will be partially reliant on the people around you for support.

Even if you are not able to see those people in person, they can help. Some tips for connecting with people include the following:

Call your AA or NA sponsor if you have one, even if you do not have an immediate need. Remember that they too may be battling with how to avoid relapse at this time. Checking in to say hello will not only help you, but it may also make a difference to them.
Let those you live with know what you need. Whether you are seeking some quiet time by yourself, or you need the buzz of human interaction, tell them how they can help. Let them know when you are feeling vulnerable and in need of support.
Top of the list of tips for maintaining sobriety during social distancing is to offer support to family members who are struggling. The COVID-19 pandemic is hard on many people, for a variety of reasons. By cheering up someone who’s feeling low, by offering advice to someone who needs it, or by helping someone with homework or with a task, you can feel a greater sense of belonging.

Ensure That Your Time Has Structure

If you are spending all of your time at home, you may be tempted to sit around in your pyjamas all day and drift through your days without real purpose. Instead, give yourself a structure – a few “rules” that you have to follow each day, and some kind of schedule. This way, you can fill up your time in productive ways, while still leaving yourself some downtime.

Here are a few examples of how you can add structure to your days:

Make sure you have taken a shower, brushed your teeth, and gotten dressed by a certain time each day
Eat your meals at the same times every day
Attend online group support meetings at the same times that you would usually attend in-person meetings
Schedule time in your calendar to exercise
Go to bed and wake up at consistent times
Set goals for yourself to accomplish each day. These can range from completing a task that you have been putting off to working on the development of a new skill

Establish Continuity Of Treatment

One of the most important tips for sobriety during social distancing is to explore digital means of continuing your therapy and counselling sessions. If you were discharged early from an addiction treatment and rehab program, your treatment team will no doubt have made arrangements for you to participate in virtual appointments.

It is important that you maintain this. Not only does it ensure continued access to some form of treatment and support, but it also helps you establish a schedule.

Equally important are your support group meetings run through organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Smart Recovery. While in-person meetings in many areas have been suspended, in many cases they have been replaced with online meetings. Make sure you know when these meetings are and how to access them.

Keep Yourself Busy

Staying sober through COVID-19 can well depend on your ability to keep yourself busy in a way that is intentional. Don’t just dart from one activity to the next. Instead, plan how you are going to spend your time. Some ideas for things to do include:

Starting a journal
Playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles
Taking an online course to learn a new skill
Giving yourself a workout/exercise routine
Making a list of maintenance/repair jobs that you can work on
Catching up on TV shows and movies, and watching live online concerts
Planning your post-quarantine life: are you going to look for a new job, go back to school, or find a new apartment?

Give Yourself Down Time

As important as it is to keep busy during these times, you also need to give yourself a break. One of the challenges of lockdown/quarantine is that you are with the same people day in and day out. Everyone needs a break from this from time to time, and recovering addicts are no exception.

One of the tips for maintaining sobriety during social distancing is to take time to go for a walk, visit a park where you can safely maintain social distancing, or simply be by yourself in your own space. Don’t be afraid to tell your family members that you need this time. The chances are that they will understand and be supportive.

Have A Plan For Difficult Times

Even if you follow all of these tips for maintaining sobriety, it may not all be plain sailing. You may have times when pandemic life seems overwhelming. In cases like this, it is important to have a plan already in place when this happens.

This plan may include the following:

A set of activities that you can do to distract yourself from cravings
A list of people you can call, such as your rehab centre support line, your sponsor, your therapist, or a trusted friend
A plan for those who live with you to follow, such as taking you for a walk or ensuring that you are not left alone

This Too Shall Pass

It may seem as if this pandemic will never end, but it will. At some point, you will have to make the transition from pandemic to post-pandemic living. In some ways, this will seem like a relief; in others, it will feel overwhelming.

If you find yourself in need of some intensive addiction treatment when the lockdowns and quarantines are over, the custom addiction rehab programs at addictions.ca can help you. Contact 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs. To find out about our services and the support that we can offer during and after the pandemic, call us at 855-601-0555.

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Addiction Recovery

How To Build Positive Relationships During Recovery

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 11, 2020
No Comments on How To Build Positive Relationships During Recovery

Sometimes, particularly when things are going well in our lives, we underestimate the importance of healthy relationships. But when addiction strikes, and we see the extent to which friends, family members and coworkers are impacted, the role of these relationships is brought into stark relief.

As an addict travels further and further down the path of addiction, their intimate partner and children may feel increasingly desperate. Also, friends may start to distance themselves, and coworkers and managers may experience a loss of trust.

Addiction treatment and rehab have several goals. Key among them is to help the addict mend relationships that were damaged during the period of active addiction. But what exactly does a “mended relationship” look like?

Characteristics Of A Healthy Relationship

Wondering how to build positive relationships during addiction recovery? First, you must know what healthy relationships look like.

To a large extent, what constitutes a healthy relationship is a function of the nature of the relationship and of the people involved. But there are some common threads that run through all healthy, functional relationships.

By knowing what these elements are, you are in a better position to understand how to build positive relationships during recovery.

Strong Communication

One of the key things to remember is that relationships are comprised of unique individuals. No matter how “in tune” two people might be, they are still two people, and there are bound to be differences in opinion or clashes in value systems.

This is a normal part of any healthy relationship. It’s healthy as long as the individuals have the ability to communicate in a positive manner. Some ways in which to ensure good communication include the following:

Be accountable for your words instead of blaming the other person for what you said
Don’t listen in order to respond, listen in order to understand
Refrain from criticizing the other person’s character – focus on the issue

Acceptance Of The Other Person

If you are in a healthy relationship, you appreciate and accept the other person for who they are. Although it is healthy and appropriate to talk to them about their behaviours that are harmful to you.

However, it should not be your goal to change their character. Telling someone that you wish they had some personality trait that they don’t is a sure way to build resentment.

Trust

No matter who the relationship is with there has to be a base level of trust that is appropriate to that relationship. This applies whether it’s with a spouse, a child, a friend or a coworker. From the standpoint of you as a participant in the relationship, this means two things:

Behaving in a trustworthy manner: If your friend trusts you to keep personal information to yourself, or if your spouse trusts you not to engage in infidelity, it is up to you to behave in a way that enables them to maintain that trust.
Behaving in a trusting manner: If your words or actions convey the message that you are suspicious of the other person in the relationship, this can backfire. For example, someone who trusts that their spouse is not having an affair is not going to go through their phone looking for inappropriate texts from unknown people.

Maintenance Of Individuality

Part of learning how to build positive relationships during addiction recovery is respecting the other person. People enter into relationships with those who they think they can have a good partnership with.

Friends become friends because they have something in common and feel that they can lean on each other. People become involved in intimate relationships with those they have a deep level of connection with.

Managers hire people who they think they can have a good working relationship with, and they form project teams based on who is likely to work well together.

While the importance of a healthy relationship should not be forgotten, it is equally important for the people in the relationship to respect each other as individuals. Spouses should spend quality time together, but they should also each follow their individual pursuits.

Coworkers should function well as a team, but they should value the unique contributions of each individual. Friends should share some core values, but also recognize and appreciate the differences.

Tips For Developing Positive Relationships During Addiction Recovery

Learning how to build positive relationships can affect the success of addiction recovery. The people in your inner circle can be an important part of your recovery — both during your addiction treatment program and afterward. This includes your close friends and family members, and in some cases, trusted coworkers.

You may be concerned that you burned some bridges with the people close to you during your active addiction phase. However, we have often found that people will rally around in support if you demonstrate a willingness to work on your sobriety.

Many recovering addicts have reported fearing ostracization from friends and family members. However, in the end, all they get through their recovery journey is bags of support.

Don’t forget that your loved ones are human as well, and they value the importance of healthy relationships as much as you do. If there is a lot invested in the relationship, that person is going to want to find a positive way forward. For example, if it is a long-standing friendship or there are children involved,

By keeping some key points in mind, you can build strong, healthy relationships that will carry you through recovery and beyond.

Be Committed To Recovery

Relationships are stressful. Even in the most harmonious pairings, there is occasional dissent. Also, at some point, the conflict will arise. During your addiction treatment, you will learn how to manage and resolve conflict.

However, in order to build positive relationships, you need to be sober and serious about your addiction recovery.

Avoid New Intimate Relationships

New relationships can be fraught with tension before you add addiction to the mix. This is especially true of intimate relationships. Before you start to date new people, you need to be confident in your level of recovery. Furthermore, you need to be sure that the new relationship will not detract from the work you are doing to fix your existing relationships.

Learn From The Past

One of the best things you can do for yourself as a recovering addict is to look at your past patterns of behaviour. This way, you can avoid replicating them. It is sometimes said that the best predictor of future behaviour is relevant to past behaviour.

As you are learning how to build positive relationships during recovery, you can examine this past behaviour and look for opportunities to improve.

Work On Communication

No relationship can work without healthy communication. This applies in good times, when the relationship is going well, and during the not-so-good times when things are tense.

Your relationships can be positive and productive if you understand how to talk about things that are bothering you. Also, they are great if you know how to respond when confronted with a problem, and how to manage conflicts.

Manage Your Expectations

If you break any object and glue it back together, you might repair the object, but it will always show signs of having been broken. It might be functional, and in some cases, the repair process will make the object stronger than it was before. However, that object will never go back to being exactly the way it was before it was broken.

The same applies to relationships. Understanding this concept is the key to learning how to build positive relationships during recovery. You should have the expectation of being able to build healthy relationships in addiction recovery.

However, be aware that things are unlikely to go back to the way they were before. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if the relationship was dysfunctional, to begin with. Manage your expectations!

Set Healthy Boundaries

Boundaries are important in any relationship. However, when addiction is involved, the lines can become blurred. During the course of your addiction treatment, your counsellors will help you through the process of being clear about your needs. Also, they will show you how to respect the needs of your friends and family members.

Focus On Your Recovery First And Foremost

During the early stages of addiction rehab, your primary focus is on your sobriety. It is important to focus on the relationships that are going to be a positive part of your life going forward.

In lieu of this, avoid relationships that have contributed to your addiction in the past. Also, avoid relationships that may increase the risk of relapse.

It’s Not Always The Addict’s Fault

As you are trying to build healthy relationships in addiction recovery, you may forget that you are not the only person in the relationship. Like many addicts, you may be spending so much time and energy focusing on your own negative behaviour. So much so that you forget about how the other person may have contributed to the problems.

A relationship involves two people, and both people need to put in some effort to create a stronger relationship. While it is true that many relationships break down as a direct result of the addiction, the opposite can also be true.

We often talk about loved ones enabling the behaviour of an addict. However, sometimes, the addict enables the other person by excusing bad behaviour and turning a blind eye to dishonesty, manipulation and abuse.

The harsh reality is that not all relationships are meant to be saved. Therefore, you may be faced with having to make a difficult decision. If continuing a relationship with someone can jeopardize your recovery and put you at risk of a relapse, it may be better to let that relationship go.

Getting Started With Addiction Treatment

The first step in learning how to build positive relationships during recovery is to actually commit to recovery. At 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we provide a safe, compassionate environment that is conducive to healing. We offer a place where you can learn how to cope with the stresses of life without having to use drugs or alcohol.

Also, we offer plenty of support for loved ones. As part of the addiction treatment process for residents in the USA and Canada, we will guide you and your friends and family members through the process of building healthy, happy relationships. To get started, call us at 855-601-0555.

Tags Positive Relationships During Recovery

Marijuana Addiction

Top Reasons Young People Use Marijuana

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 11, 2020
No Comments on Top Reasons Young People Use Marijuana

Is marijuana as good as it’s cracked up to be in modern social media, or were the parents and teachers of days gone by right to be concerned?

Why do young people use marijuana? The legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in various parts of the world has undoubtedly hastened a shift in public perceptions about the drug. Just a few short decades ago, cannabis abuse among youths was strongly discouraged.

Teens were warned of the inevitability of falling into a life of crime if they smoked cannabis. They were told that they were in danger of frying their brains, or of opening up the gateway to more serious addictions.

Today, the messaging they get is very different. Teenagers scrolling through their social media feeds are exposed to multiple messages that range from “Marijuana is not as bad as cigarettes” to “Marijuana is good for you”. When you consider the challenges that face young people today and add in this kind of feedback about cannabis, it is not difficult to see why teenagers smoke so much weed.

Before we get into specific reasons young people use marijuana, let’s answer the question on many people’s minds. Is marijuana as good as it’s cracked up to be in modern social media, or where the parents and teachers of days gone by the right to be concerned?

Is Marijuana Dangerous?

Medical cannabis aside, there are some reasons to be concerned about the use of marijuana in young people. Some factors to consider are the sheer numbers of marijuana strains that are produced these days.

Also, there is the fact that some marijuana contains up to 200 times the THC levels of typical weed in days gone by. Furthermore, consider that as the teenage brain develops, it is in a constant state of flux. For some teens, smoking weed can be the equivalent of throwing a match into a chemical soup that is already undergoing complex reactions.

Some of the primary risks of cannabis use include the following:

Increased risk of addiction as an adult

Not only are teens who smoke weed at risk of becoming addicted to the weed, but they are also at higher risk of becoming addicted to other, potentially more harmful substances during adulthood.

Increased risk of respiratory complaints

Most teens who use marijuana ingest it by smoking it. Contrary to what many people believe, marijuana smoke contains many of the same carcinogens and toxins present in cigarette smoke. This leads to an increased risk of some cancers, as well as bronchitis and other respiratory infections.

Changes to brain function

Some teens who use marijuana even a single time can experience psychiatric problems. These include psychosis (losing touch with reality) and delusions (potentially dangerous false beliefs). Also, cannabis abuse among youths can lead to sensory challenges, impaired cognitive functioning, and loss of coordination.

Potential for high-risk behaviour

To begin with, many teenagers have trouble with impulse control. Worse, smoking weed can exacerbate this problem, particularly if marijuana is used in conjunction with alcohol. This can lead to participation in potentially dangerous activities, such as driving under the influence and having unprotected sex.

What About Medical Marijuana?

“What about medical cannabis?” is the rallying cry of many people who argue in favour of recreational marijuana use. And this is a valid question. There are people who may derive some benefit from moderate use of marijuana, without necessarily having to get a medical prescription for it.

But these are adults, whose brains are fully developed. And it should be noted that there are risk factors that they should be aware of as well.

When it comes to the use of medical marijuana, it is important to note the following:

There are only a few strains of medical marijuana that have been developed and produced for the treatment of specific conditions and symptoms
Medical marijuana is generally not recommended for use in children and teens
Medical marijuana is like any other medication: when used in incorrect doses, or when used by someone for whom it is not prescribed, it can be very dangerous.

Top Reasons Why Teens Use Marijuana

As a preventative and educational measure, it is helpful to know about some of the biggest reasons young people use marijuana. Everyone is unique. We all have our reasons for doing the things we do, and every case of teenage marijuana use should be examined on its own merits.

Mental Health

Teenage Anxiety and depression are on the rise. Up to a third of teens show symptoms of depression, and the majority of these do not seek help because they fear the stigma of mental illness.

What makes teenage mental illness particularly troublesome is that it is often written off as “typical teenage behaviour”. Teens may try to numb their pain by using marijuana. Contrary to what they expect, marijuana actually exacerbates their symptoms.

Bullying

Bullying of teenagers is a tragic reality that has been with us for as long as we’ve had teenagers. The nature of the bullying evolves with the times. Recent years have seen a sharp rise in cyberbullying, which has cost lives. Teenage victims of bullying who feel that they don’t have anyone to talk to may resort to smoking weed.

Curiosity

Adolescence is an age of intense curiosity and experimentation, which is fine as long as it is safe. A simple reason teens use marijuana is simply that they want to know what it is like.

Unfortunately, this does not always stop with marijuana. If left unchecked, some teens will go on to experiment with far more dangerous substances.

Peer Pressure

By the time someone reaches adolescence, their primary influences are peers rather than parents. Time and time again, teenagers explain erratic or dangerous behaviour by saying, “Well, everyone else is doing it…”.

Cannabis use among youths is no exception. A lot of teenagers will smoke weed just because their friends are. There is an element of social acceptance of this. Hence, young people may fear social ostracization if they decline.

Boredom

Boredom is a normal part of life, especially for children and teenagers. Some childhood development experts are of the belief that the youth of today are under immense pressure to always be busy.

As a result, they may not develop the skills to cope when they are not. And a lot of them will start experimenting with marijuana in order to fill their time.

What Can Be Done About It?

Knowing the reasons young people use marijuana is a critical first step in developing plans to counteract this. Some steps we can take to help our teenage community members include the following:

Ensure that teens have open lines of communication with parents and guardians. This way, they can talk about things that are troubling them. They can do this without fear of judgment or repercussion
Ensure that children and teenagers have access to mental health services
Ensure that children and teenagers are educated about the safe use of the Internet. Hence, they have the ability to report incidents of bullying safely, and that such reports are appropriately handled
Educate teenagers about the dangers of marijuana and other substances. More importantly, provide them with safe ways to satisfy their curious natures
Be aware of the signs of marijuana abuse in your teenage children. Also, be prepared to take action on helping them through addiction recovery if needed

Marijuana Addiction Treatment

No matter how hard parents and teachers try to steer their children away from drugs and alcohol, the sad reality is that cannabis use among youths will sometimes lead to addiction. The sooner addicted teens get help, the better.

By being put into a marijuana addiction treatment program as early as possible, teens can learn the skills and techniques they will need to cope with the stresses of life and work towards a promising future.

At 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we provide a safe place for teens to overcome their addictions and start their adult lives on the right footing. We also provide support for loved ones, and guidance through the process of mending damaged family relationships. To get started, call us at 855-601-0555.

Related article: How to Recognize Marijuana Addiction

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Cocaine Addiction

How to Stop Cocaine Addiction

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 11, 2020
No Comments on How to Stop Cocaine Addiction

If you must understand how to stop cocaine addiction, you need to know what cocaine actually is. The drug is also referred to as benzoylmethylecgonine, or coke if you’d rather not bite more than you can chew. It is gotten from coca leaves and can alter a person’s brain function after a while of consistent use. Above all, cocaine is an incredibly addictive drug.

Unfortunately, despite the dangers to your health, you can’t just “turn off” a cocaine addiction. More often than not, you need a series of consistent actions alongside professional help if you must win the battle against coke. However, as challenging as it may be, it is not entirely impossible.

To prove that to you, we’ll be sharing a few insights on how to stop cocaine addiction in this article.

How Do You Stop Cocaine Addiction?

You should know that there isn’t any “ultimate” guide to stop taking cocaine. Of course, you can still go to the internet to learn how to stop cocaine addiction. However, in reality, everyone’s situation is peculiar, and what works for Jerry may leave Tom stranded in a bind.

Alongside that, due to its brain-altering capabilities, stopping cocaine abruptly can really hurt you. As such, at some point, the chances are that you may need professional cocaine addiction rehab. Nevertheless, you should still give yourself a head start on the journey by following these five tips for getting rid of cocaine addiction:

Inform those who matter about your decision to quit cocaine

We understand that this part might be a bit difficult. It’s even worse if you promised your loved ones that you’d quit before only to relapse later. But it is still necessary. You cannot learn how to stop cocaine addiction or even implement these tips if you choose to go through the journey alone. So, you must inform someone about your decision to quit.

It really does not have to be a lot of people. As long as they’re understanding and they are truly invested in helping you change, they should make your list.

As a general rule of thumb, you should avoid people who will judge every chance they get or try to invalidate your struggle. Even if they mean well, they may end up doing more harm than good.

When you inform your loved ones about your decision to quit cocaine, ensure that you let them know that you want them to actively assist you in the journey. This is because you need to remain accountable to someone if you must quit cocaine abuse.

What you’ll gain from following this tip is a reliable support system. They’ll check in on you every now and then to monitor your progress. Alongside that, they’ll help if you fall/falter and assist in getting you back on track.

Modify your habits and social circles to fit your new goal

This tip regarding how to stop cocaine addiction is arguably one of the most important of them all. Don’t understand why? Well, let’s break it down from the first half.

Usually, when you’re very inclined to do something, it doesn’t happen in isolation. It often comes with a habit that you’ve built over time. For example, some people can hardly go through a movie without a snack, and some can’t eat without watching something. This may not be so bad compared to cocaine addiction, but you should get our point. In their case, the movie is tied to the meal and vice versa.

In the same vein, taking cocaine may be tied to some of your habits. Do you find yourself snorting every time you down a bottle of alcohol? Have you built a doping habit around your study periods to help you remain alert/efficient?

When you identify those habits that bring you back to the white, powdery arms of cocaine, you need to modify them. Adjust or eliminate those habits so that you don’t have to go back to being a user.

Concerning the modification of your social circle, it’s not very likely that you’re a solo doper. So, if you have friends that induce your snorting, you may want to reevaluate those friendships. While it might be challenging, you can start by politely turning down invitations to hangouts with the friends you used to do cocaine with.

Fill up your schedule

When you’re still figuring out how to stop cocaine addiction, your worst enemy is idleness. This is because you’re likely to go back to cocaine when you have nothing meaningful to do.

When your mind is less busy, it begins to wander. Except when asleep, this fact rings true for everybody. When your mind starts its random journey across different memories or scenarios, it may accidentally stop by at the last time you snorted coke. You’ll feel a little tingle in your nose.

Gradually, the urge to go back to coke will start creeping in. It keeps growing until it’s much harder to ignore than the initial tingle. Eventually, you may find yourself using it again.

To prevent all these from happening, just do something else. When you keep your mind occupied with another activity, you’ll be less likely to start thinking of coke or craving it. A few activities to try include exercising, volunteering where necessary, doing chores, etc.

However, if you want to go a step further, you can discuss with a professional who can help you learn how to stop cocaine addiction. They’ll be particularly helpful in assisting you to come up with a strategy to make those activities a part normal routine.

Find inspiration in other people

Conquering an addiction is an incredibly serious business. The stakes are even higher when the addiction you’re dealing with is something as strong as cocaine. In fact, it requires an effort that leaves most people feeling overwhelmed.

One way you can get over this overwhelming feeling is by getting some inspiration from other people. We don’t think we need to try too hard to convince you that you’re not the first person who has had to deal with a cocaine addiction before. There have been many others before you, and you can read about them or listen to them at will.

Among other things, even if you don’t know them directly, their stories will give you strength. Different things work for different people. But, seeing how other people were able to pick up their lives instead of letting cocaine be their end can work wonders for you.

Surfing the web for their stories may not be the best idea, though. Our two cents on the issue is that you should join a support group. There, you’ll see humans like yourself who are making progress in their journey against your common foe.

Understand and handle what’s causing your addiction

All these points on how to stop addiction are pretty effective if you follow them properly. We have no doubts about that. However, if you don’t discover and deal with what caused the addiction in the first place, you might not achieve much.

You see, this situation is like wanting to cut down a tree because it attracts way too many snakes for safety. You can cut off its branches for as long as you live. But, they’ll merely grow back prettier, and maybe even stronger. The only way to take care of the problem is to remove the tree from its roots.

So, if you’re learning how to quit cocaine, figure out why you started in the first place. Did you do it to get away from negative emotions such as depression or uncontrollable anger? If so, you may need to see a therapist so you can learn how to handle those emotions better.

Did you do it to get away from all the chaos at home? You have to deal with that too. Did you do it out of a need for validation from your friends? You’ll have to deal with that feeling of inadequacy as well. Whatever the cause, if you don’t deal with it, you might end up going back to cocaine.

Potential Challenges While Trying to quit Cocaine

If you’re wondering how to stop cocaine addiction, you should know the potential pitfalls. The major things you’ll have to deal with are withdrawal symptoms. This is where professional help comes into play.

Depending on how far gone you are, your body may not be able to handle losing cocaine so abruptly. So, you may experience such withdrawal symptoms as depression, exhaustion, mild to intense cocaine cravings, hallucinations, imbalanced appetite, etc.

In Conclusion

Learning how to stop cocaine addiction takes gut and a determination to make positive changes. However, the real work comes when you have to put what you’ve learnt to practice. At that point, you’ll need consistency, determination, and all the support you can get. Contact 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

Related article: How to Quit Cocaine Addiction

Tags Cocaine Addiction, How to Stop Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine Withdrawal: What To Expect

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 11, 2020
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Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant. Due to its impact on the central nervous system, cocaine withdrawal can be highly unpleasant. This substance generates a euphoric high and an energy rush in anyone who uses it.

Furthermore, it is popular as a recreational drug because it creates a feeling of confidence. Shy people become sociable. Anxious students are able to endure exams; overwhelmed executives can get through a long day of gruelling work. But as cocaine withdrawal sets in, the user starts to experience unpleasant symptoms, such as confusion, depression and exhaustion.

This drives them to seek out more of the drug. The deeper the individual falls into the pit of cocaine addiction, the more uncomfortable the cocaine withdrawal symptoms become.

The Dangers Of Cocaine Abuse

Regular long-term use of cocaine can have serious repercussions on your physical, mental and social health. By seeking cocaine addiction treatment sooner rather than later, you can reduce these impacts and set yourself on the path to a healthier, more positive life.

The risks of cocaine abuse include the following:

High blood pressure, irregular and/or rapid heart rate, and cardiac arrest
Stroke
Kidney failure
Mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression
Paranoia
Mood swings
Aggression and/or an increased propensity for violent behaviour
Inability to manage relationships and/or finances
Increased risk of HIV and hepatitis from the use of shared needles
Increased risk of respiratory disease from ingestion through smoking
Sores and blisters around the nose and mouth from ingestion through snorting
Collapsed veins and track marks from intravenous use

Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms And Timelines

Cocaine withdrawal comes with some uncomfortable symptoms that may make this difficult. These appear at different phases of the withdrawal process and vary in severity from one person to the next. Typically, what to expect from cocaine withdrawal is based on

The individual’s original state of physical and mental health
The circumstances surrounding their addiction
Whether any other substances are involved.

When exploring what to expect from cocaine withdrawal, there are three major timelines to this process.

The crash

The crash happens 24 hours or less after a period of sustained cocaine use ends. Many addicts who are in this phase are not intending to quit: they are simply caught in the cycle of cocaine use.

For those who are attempting to quit, this phase presents a high risk of relapse, as the discomfort of the withdrawal symptoms may drive you to seek out more of the drug.

Cocaine withdrawal symptoms that happen during this phase include:

Lack of energy
Deep depression and a sense of demotivation
Hunger
Anxiety
Irritability and agitation
Fatigue

Withdrawal

The second phase of cocaine withdrawal starts a few days after the last use of the drug, and it can go on for as long as ten weeks. The risk of relapse during this phase remains high, largely because of the persistence of symptoms.

If you begin to feel as if this feeling will never end, it’s possible to seek escape by using the drug. Symptoms that you may experience during this phase include:

Depression, anxiety and paranoia
A persistent sense that all is not right with the world
Difficulty concentrating
Intense cravings
Mood swings
Fatigue and low energy

Extinction

Once you reach this phase, your risk of relapse is significantly lower. Although extinction can last for up to six months, it is marked by a gradual but steady decline in the severity of most withdrawal symptoms.

You may continue to experience some cravings, and depression, while improved, may linger. Some individuals experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), which is marked by the persistence of impulse control difficulties.

Is Cocaine Withdrawal Dangerous?

It is important to understand the withdrawal risks of any substance before abruptly stopping the use. Some substances such as alcohol and certain opioids can have potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

Although cocaine withdrawal can be uncomfortable and frightening, it is generally not dangerous. However, some circumstances can create a higher risk.

If you are addicted to both alcohol and cocaine, withdrawal from either one – or both together – can result in cardiac arrest
If you have a condition that makes you prone to seizures, you are more likely to have seizures during withdrawal, and these can result in injury
For some people, particularly those with preexisting mood disorders, cocaine withdrawal can lead to serious depression. This carries a risk of suicidal intent, suicide attempts and self-harm. This is exacerbated in cases of polysubstance abuse.
One of the signs of cocaine withdrawal is an increased tendency to behave in a violent manner. This puts the cocaine addict at risk of harm, but it also increases the risk for other people.

How To Stay Safe Through Cocaine Withdrawal

Medical Detox

Cocaine withdrawal treatment is available through medical detox. Through this process, the cocaine user is supervised by medical professionals while the cocaine is working its way out of the system.

Medical detox can accomplish the following:

It allows for immediate treatment of withdrawal symptoms as they arise
The patient is kept safe and as comfortable as possible throughout the withdrawal process
The patient is protected from the immediate risk of relapse
A cocaine addiction treatment and rehab plan is formulated in preparation for the end of the detox

Although most medical detox is done on an inpatient basis, some people are able to withdraw from cocaine at home. Then, they attend medical appointments to monitor progress.

In order for this approach to be safe and effective, the patient must have no access to cocaine or any other substance. Also, they should have a strong support network consisting of family members and close friends.

Management Of Cravings

If you choose not to attend an inpatient or outpatient cocaine withdrawal treatment program, there are still some steps you can take to manage cravings:

Ensure that your other lifestyle habits, such as nutrition and exercise, are strong enough to support you through the rigours of withdrawal
Have someone you can call if you are in immediate danger of relapse
Develop healthy habits and hobbies that you can use to distract yourself from cravings – for example, go for a walk, do some gardening, or take art classes
Create new routines to end associations with cocaine use
If possible, avoid the people and places associated with your use of cocaine
If you used cocaine at home, reconfigure the space to make it new
Avoid all substances – not just the one you are addicted to

If you do suffer a relapse, try not to be too hard on yourself. Relapse during the early stages of cocaine withdrawal is extremely common. However, it does not represent failure. Instead, it is a temporary setback that you can learn from and move on from.

Medication

Medication for cocaine withdrawal treatment should not be considered without prior consultation with your doctor. Although no medication has been developed to minimize withdrawal or reduce cravings, some medical relief may be available for specific withdrawal symptoms.

For example, if you are already undergoing medical treatment for depression, your doctor may temporarily adjust your doses for the duration of your withdrawal. Some sleep aids with low addiction potential may also be used to treat insomnia.

What Comes After Cocaine Withdrawal?

Cocaine withdrawal is an important first step to recovery. It gets the cocaine out of your system and gets you past the period during which your risk of relapse is at its highest. Most important, it sets you up for the next phase of your recovery: cocaine addiction treatment and rehab.

During this phase, you will be guided through the process of delving into the causes that lie beneath your addiction. Together with an expert, you can explore topics such as trauma, bullying, bereavement, or stress that comes with a major life event. By resolving certain issues, you can develop techniques for coping with those that you can’t.

The most effective cocaine addiction treatment programs are ones that are customized to the needs of the individual. Everyone is unique, and no two addiction journeys look the same. It is important to account for these individual differences in treatment.

Treatment programs can include a combination of methods and modalities, including:

Group, individual and family therapy
Creative therapies such as art, music and dance
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness training
Life skills training
Nutrition and exercise coaching

At 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we don’t treat addictions, we treat human beings. We do not see you as someone with a substance abuse problem. Instead, we see substance abuse as a symptom of deeper issues that are affecting your life.

Under our gentle, compassionate guidance, you can find your way out of addiction and on the road to a happy, healthy, productive life. To get started, call us at 855-601-0555.

Tags Cocaine Withdrawal

Addiction Recovery

How To Avoid Alcohol After Recovery

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 3, 2020
No Comments on How To Avoid Alcohol After Recovery

Rehab is not a vacation, it is hard work, and you got through it. And if you spend some time thinking of how to avoid alcohol after recovery, you can set yourself up for long-term sobriety.

Graduating from alcohol addiction rehab is a big deal. You have worked hard to build up the life skills and stress management techniques that will enable you to stay sober moving forward.

You have focused on your relationships and your own personal development, and you have the confidence to rejoin the real world. You feel proud of yourself – and you should.

But how do you maintain sobriety? How do you say no to a bottle when you get out in the real world? Keep reading to find all the answers you need!

Why Does Relapse Happen?

In order to avoid relapse, it is helpful to understand the factors that may put you at risk. The first thing to know is that your first month out of alcohol addiction rehab is your highest-risk period.

If you can get through those first weeks without having a drink, your chances of staying sober long-term vastly increase, and these odds continue to improve with each passing week.

Leaving the protection of rehab

When you are in an inpatient rehab facility, your life is mapped out for you. You have a clearly defined schedule, you know what you’re eating, you don’t face any barriers when it comes to getting to your therapy sessions. You can follow your treatment program without having to think about the logistics of it all. Perhaps most important, you don’t have access to alcohol.

Even if you had the worst possible craving for a drink, you would not be able to get it, and the facility staff will support you through that craving. In rehab, avoiding alcohol is no concern, simply because you don’t even have to think about how to stay sober. It just happens.

Once you leave, it’s a completely different story. Being back in the real world can be scary, for these reasons:

You have the freedom to determine your own timetable
If you are unemployed or not scheduled for an immediate return to work, you will have a lot of time on your hands
Alcohol is legal and very easy to obtain

Real-world stress can be overwhelming

Whenever you learn something in an artificial setting, it can be challenging to practice that information in the outside world. For example, you may ace a class at university, and be lost applying the knowledge from that class in an actual real-like setting.

The same thing goes for the life skills and stress management techniques that you learn in alcohol addiction rehab. The whole point of being in an inpatient program is to be protected from the stresses of the outside world.

But at some point, you have to leave rehab, and the stresses of the outside world are still going to be exactly where you left them. For a lot of people, the idea of coping with this stress is too overwhelming, and alcohol may seem like an easy solution.

Falling back into old habits

For all of us, life is filled with little reminders and associations. We have friends we’re used to going to the movies with, family members we run with or go to the gym with, places we go when we want to relax, do some work, or spend time with loved ones.

If you are a recovering alcoholic, you have places and people you associate with drinking. Conventional wisdom dictates that you simply avoid these people and places, but there are plenty of alcoholics who do most of their drinking with their spouse in the comfort of their own living room. For those trying to figure out how to stay sober, complete avoidance of reminders may not be realistic.

The Stages Of Relapse

A lot of people think of relapse as a single event in time. The physical act of using alcohol again is merely the last phase of relapse; it is the culmination of a process.

Figuring out how to avoid alcohol after recovery will be a lot easier for you if you put plans into place for each stage of relapse.

Stage I – Emotional relapse

Negative emotions start to develop, triggered by a bad day at work, an argument with a loved one, or simply a memory of something from the past. This leads to a lapse in self-care, which can take several forms, like self-isolation, poor eating habits, skipping a workout, or spending too much time playing video games.

Stage II – Mental relapse

This is when you may be starting to worry about how to stay sober. You’re still intending to abstain from drinking, but you may start to think about “the good old days” when you could simply grab a beer when you felt stressed. At this point, sobriety feels less like a lifestyle and more like an emotional and mental effort.

Stage III – Physical relapse

This is the culmination, the point at which you break down and drink. Whether you have one drink or many, the act of drinking can be emotionally devastating.

Recovering alcoholics often feel a sense of failure or disappointment in themselves after physical relapse has occurred. It is important to know, however, that physical relapse does not mean that alcohol addiction rehab has failed: you have simply suffered a temporary setback that you can recover from.

Recognizing The Warning Signs of Relapse

A big part of knowing how to stay sober is the ability to recognize the early signs of emotional relapse. The sooner you can stop relapse in its tracks, the more successful you are likely to be.

Early signs that you may see in yourself or a loved one include:

An increased desire to be alone
A sense of feeling down
Neglect of exercise routines
Abandonment of healthy eating patterns
A sense that you are “letting yourself go”

Tips To Avoid Alcohol In Recovery

Now, you know what the causes of relapse are and what the process of relapse looks like. Therefore you are in a better position to know how to avoid alcohol after recovery.

It’s not simply a case of refusing to pick up a drink. Instead, you need to take steps to ensure that you will not want or need to.

Environmental factors

You may not be able to move to a new house or avoid every single person you associate with drinking. However, you should make the environmental changes you can. People who were a negative influence on you “back then”, or those who do not support your sobriety efforts now, should be avoided. Alcohol and drugs – even those you were not addicted to – should be removed from your home.

Therapy

Continue the therapy that you found useful during alcohol rehab should be continued to whatever extent is possible. This may mean that you will seek out a psychotherapist or a family counsellor, or you may want to look for an art therapist or dance teacher in your area. By continuing the work you started in rehab, you can help yourself stay grounded and more able to cope with stress.

Group support

Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous can be a very effective tool for people who don’t know how to stay sober. Group support can serve a lot of purposes. For one, it gives you access to a community of people who understand the challenges. As you eliminate former “friends” from your life, you have new friends to fill the void. Also, by finding a sponsor within that group, you have someone you can call if you are in immediate danger of drinking.

Take care of yourself

Self-care takes many forms. For some people, it means keeping up with a regular exercise program. For others, it can mean time set aside to sit down and read a book.

If you feel physically and mentally healthy, and you are well-grounded in your relationships, you are far more likely to be able to withstand the stresses of life without needing to drink.

Have a relapse prevention plan

One of the most important factors in avoiding relapse is deciding exactly how to stay sober when things start to look shaky.

A relapse prevention plan should include the following:

A commitment from a trusted individual who will talk to you and give you the support you need if they notice that you appear to be suffering an emotional relapse
Someone you can call if you are at immediate risk of drinking – this could be your AA sponsor or your rehab centre support line
A list of activities you can perform if you start to feel that you are slipping into relapse
A plan of action to follow in the event that you do drink. This way, you can recover and move forward

Final Words

Knowing how to avoid alcohol after recovery is not an exact science, because everyone is different. Your biggest tools in this journey are an awareness of what relapse really is, the tools and support to prevent it and, if necessary, to help you through it, and the knowledge that if you do relapse, you can recover.

At 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we believe in all of our clients, and we offer a comprehensive aftercare service that will support you after your time in rehab is over. For more information, give us a call at 855-601-0555.

Tags Alcohol After Recovery