Warning signs are there ~ Relapse

If you have a friend or loved one who is in recovery, relapse is a real issue and a common thing. Many stumble along their recovery road but along those stumbles there are warning signs there.

There is a period of time during recovery where a person will feel impending dread, dread that they will no longer be able to experience that euphoric high once experienced while in their addiction. They may feel like all of the positive thinking they had done in their early recovery wasn’t a reflection on their true feelings towards sobriety, as if they are lying to themselves when they say they are grateful for their new found clean and sober life.

When these feelings come on, it can be very overwhelming and last for many days. The recovering addict may isolate themselves from anyone and everyone who may very well been the same people who could help them through these feelings. This can be their biggest mistake and a huge step towards relapse.

When you begin to believe that no one else could possibly understand how you are feeling and don’t reach out and ask for help – relapse is just seconds away. When you notice a loved one or friend in recovery beginning to pull away, stop attending support meetings, isolating themselves, that is when it is even more important to pull them back in. For the person in recovery – force yourself no matter how uncomfortable it feels at first, to reach out for help. It is the times when you don’t feel like you need anyone else that are the most important times to surround your self with others. Every day a person in recovery can face struggles making a strong support network essential in a healthy recovery.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Do You Have a Relapse Prevention Plan?

You have escaped the confinement of addiction and you know it’s not a place you ever want to return to. It still takes commitment and hard work as you continue to recover. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to know you don’t want to return to the life of an addict. It’s not even sufficient just to voice your concern. Just as you have spent time making a life plan, you need to spend time making a relapse prevention plan. This is something you need to commit to paper instead of formulating it in your mind and expecting that you will be able to remember what you decided. It is a plan that you will want to be able to read and study and adapt as you feel changes are needed.

If you have not already identified the thoughts, feelings, behaviors and situations that triggered your drug use, that will be your first step. You can’t know what to avoid unless these things have been identified. You need to be brutally honest with yourself here. If there are aspects you can’t define on your own, get help. A sponsor, a family member, friend, or a medical professional might be able to help guide you through this process.

After that is done, you will need to determine coping skills that you will be able to use to keep you from falling prey to addictive behaviors again. Ideally, for each thought, feeling, behavior, and situation you identified, there should be a coping skill in place.

Lastly you will need to develop specific strategies and monitoring techniques to ensure the application of the coping skills you came up with. The final step will be to implement the plan. All the planning in the world won’t work unless it is used.

If you have used a relapse prevention plan, take the time to let us know how it worked for you. Doing this will not only help you, it may be the key to saving someone else from a relapse. If you know someone who is locked in a world of drugs, let them know that A Better Tomorrow can get them on the road to recovery. It only takes one phone call to initiate help.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Physical Activities to Help in Recovery

After breaking your addiction, it is important to keep your self busy and what better way to do that than by taking care of yourself physically. Of course a good diet is a must. It will keep you feeling healthy and keep your energy level up too.

There are a variety of physical activities that will fit the bill. If you have been inactive you might want to start off slow with a walking program. It doesn’t have to be done everyday but some find that it’s easier to keep at it if it’s consistent. If walking is to tame for you, try jogging. This can be done outdoors if the weather in your area permits but a treadmill will work just as well. There are fit clubs in just about every town. They offer a variety of workouts and activities that might include swimming, weights, aerobics classes, stair steppers, and treadmills. They usually have personal trainers available if you’re not quite sure where to start.

If you enjoy the outdoors but want something a little more than a walk, try a bicycle. Most towns allow bicycles to share the road with cars. You might try city parks for a little more scenery. Bigger towns might offer bike trails that will keep you out of traffic. It’s really all personal preference. As you build up your stamina you might consider entering local foot and/or bicycle races. If you are lucky enough to live near mountains you might try your hand at mountain climbing, mountain biking or just walking the trails.

Whatever you choose to do, it’s important to remain active and keep a positive outlook on life. If you have found activities that have helped you on your road to recovery we would love to hear from you. Others may well benefit from your experiences. If you or someone you love has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, let them know they are not alone. There is help available at A Better Tomorrow. They are waiting for your call. Go ahead and do it now, for yourself, or for someone you love.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Avoiding a Relapse

Congratulations! You’ve beat your addiction, whatever it might have been but you might still be feeling a bit shaky about your future. That’s totally understandable. You lived in a vacuum of dependence where all you had to drive you was your next fix. The world has opened up for you and you’ll need to figure out how to go about fitting back in.

First off you have got to believe in yourself. You’ve already come through the worst of it. Look at yourself in the mirror each morning and tell yourself, “I am surrounded by people who love and care for me”, “I am free of the past”, “I control my future”, and “I can do this”.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. You are making changes that will affect the rest of your life. Do not make important decisions without giving yourself time to think it through. If you need to talk to someone, do it. Counseling is not a bad thing. If you don’t want the structure of counseling, talk to someone you trust, be it a friend or family member.

Recovery is your choice. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you feel you need it. If you have something on your mind or in your heart that you don’t want to trust to another individual, try talking to God or your higher power whoever it may be. If your higher power is God, seek solace and talk to him aloud and trust that nothing you say to Him will come as a shock. He will not judge you for what you are bringing to Him. Let yourself feel the love and acceptance that only He can give you.

If you have found other methods that worked for you, let us know what they are so others might use them too. If you or someone you know has a problem with an addiction there is help available. Call A Better Tomorrow and let them help you find the way back to the life you deserve.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow