Drug Rehab Lifeline
Living without Drugs and Alcohol
Challenges | Signs of Relapse | Keys to Success
Keys to Success ....
Addiction is a powerful destructive force. Overcoming it requires thorough understanding and commitment to the process of recovery.
After an effective treatment program, the addict should have:
- An understanding of addiction and its effects.
The addict needs to understand not only the physiological effects, but also the emotional, social, and legal effects of addiction. - A commitment to sobriety.
The addict needs a clear picture of the difference between a life on drugs and life without drugs. The vision of a drug-free life helps provide the motivation to resist pressures to use or drink. - Clear identification of high-risk situations.
The addict will encounter innumerable triggers prompting him to drink or use. Identifying these high-risk situations beforehand is vital to helping him stay in control of such situations. - Skills for dealing with high-risk situations.
Drilling or play-acting ways to handle these situations arms the addict with successful behaviors for avoiding relapse. Social pressures and life stress are the most common triggers for relapse. - Coping mechanisms for handling cravings.
Cravings are physiological reactions to drugs and alcohol that may recur indefinitely despite abstinence. Cravings typically come in waves of short duration, so getting past these urges without giving in is key to living drug-free. - A plan for handling setbacks.
Relapses are common, and effective handling includes a plan to get back on the program immediately if this happens. If handled like a drill - preparing for the worst, but expecting the worst will never happen - lays the groundwork for success over the long haul despite periodic setbacks.
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