By Lauren Zehnle, MA, LPC
Learning to recognize the signs and signals of an impending relapse is critical in maintaining long term sobriety. The best way to deal with a relapse is to avoid it. In the early stages of recovery, many people believe that they are powerless over relapse and that lapses seem to, “come out of nowhere.” With the application of relapse prevention skills, people in recovery can learn to detect a relapse and successfully make the necessary changes to avoid the progression. One early warning sign took look out for is increased stress.
Look for areas of increased stress in your life. Have you recently had a major life transition (a job change, a big move, or a new baby?) Creating a sober life worth living is stressful enough- dealing with uncomfortable feelings without using, attending treatment, navigating a social life, and rebuilding relationships with friends and family can feel overwhelming. Some stress is obvious, other stress is a compilation of small things that can suddenly make a person feel exhausted. Evaluate your life for stress, what are the most stressful life events concerning you today? What coping strategies do you need to apply to manage stress? Are there things in your schedule that could be eliminated or added so that you might be less vulnerable to relapse? Remember, relapses don’t just happen. Those who are most successful in recovery have learned how to identify an impending relapse and move fast to avoid the fall. Relapses can be great teachers if you use your bad days as data.
Learning to recognize the signs and signals of an impending relapse is critical in maintaining long term sobriety. The best way to deal with a relapse is to avoid it. In the early stages of recovery, many people believe that they are powerless over relapse and that lapses seem to, “come out of nowhere.” With the application of relapse prevention skills, people in recovery can learn to detect a relapse and successfully make the necessary changes to avoid the progression. One early warning sign took look out for is increased stress.
Look for areas of increased stress in your life. Have you recently had a major life transition (a job change, a big move, or a new baby?) Creating a sober life worth living is stressful enough- dealing with uncomfortable feelings without using, attending treatment, navigating a social life, and rebuilding relationships with friends and family can feel overwhelming. Some stress is obvious, other stress is a compilation of small things that can suddenly make a person feel exhausted. Evaluate your life for stress, what are the most stressful life events concerning you today? What coping strategies do you need to apply to manage stress? Are there things in your schedule that could be eliminated or added so that you might be less vulnerable to relapse? Remember, relapses don’t just happen. Those who are most successful in recovery have learned how to identify an impending relapse and move fast to avoid the fall. Relapses can be great teachers if you use your bad days as data.
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