Warning Signs of a Relapse

1. The recovering substance abuser continues to be around drugs or alcohol, other users, or places where they once bought or used drugs or alcohol.

2. The recovering addict is consistently angry, sad, lonely, fearful or anxious.

3. The recovering addict feels bored without drugs.

4. The recovering addict is going through some physical pain.

5. The recovery addict continues to make conversation about drugs or enjoys listening to others' drug use stories.

6. The recovering addict believes they no longer feel controlled by or have to worry about drug cravings, so they are allowed to indulge in drug or alcohol use occasionally.

The decision to quit using drug or alcohol is only the fist step of many to the beginning of recovery. This does not mean that the addict's problems will vanish as soon as they stop using drugs. On the contrary, many of those problems will remain with them throughout the recovery process. They will have to find other ways to solve these issues without hiding them with drugs or alcohol. They may be excited about the possibilities of beginning anew, while saddened by the old life they must leave behind. Recovery is a very confusing and trying time for an addict and can make them question whether they have what it takes to succeed in their quest for sobriety.

Avoiding a Relapse

It is during this critical phase that a recovering addict is most susceptible to relapsing on drugs. To avoid relapsing on drugs or alcohol, a recovering addict should take pains to put preventative measures into place.

1. Take day-to-day problems as they come. A recovering addict should never sweep daily problems under the rug, but should confront them head-on, the way they did addiction.

2. Balance work with relaxation. To help avoid stress, a recovering addict should reward themselves for their progress such as time to indulge in a hobby or read a book.

3. Join a support group. A recovering addict can find the help of a recovery group, counselor, trusted friend, or family member invaluable to share to pressure they are feeling while struggling with recovery.

4. Plan for risky situations. It is almost inevitable that the recovering addict will someday find themselves in a situation where drugs or alcohol are present and they badly want to use them. By knowing about these situations ahead of time, the recovering addict will be more likely to successfully avoid a relapse.

While nobody can control everything in life, or manage every situation the way they intended to, by having a plan in place a recovering addict increases their chances of living a successful drug-free life. While they may slip and indulge in drugs or alcohol, it is important that they not use this slip as an excuse to plunge back in to drug addiction. Rather, they should learn from this slip to avoid having the same situation happen in the future.