When the “Spirits” Call You Back: The Most Common Relapse Triggers

While the road to full recovery from alcohol addiction is promising, there’s one truth that can take away the joy of hoping for the future—relapse. It is a like a shadow that always follows you, and it can easily get to you if you let it. You can, however, always ignore the shadow and continue with your sober lifestyle.

The first thing you need to do is identify all possible temptations. Once you’ve identified potential triggers, be firm with your pledge not to see your former self again.

Here’s a rundown of the most common triggers of alcohol relapse:

Overconfidence

It is common for patients to devalue themselves and wallow in low self-esteem when treatment starts. This is normal. Regaining confidence is validation that you are slowly recovering control, but there may come a time when you take this confidence a bit too far. You will be convinced that the troubles are over and believe that you can already be sober without finishing the treatment.

Obsessing Over Uncertainties

When you start leading a sober lifestyle again, you may feel scared at times. This is caused by your obsession over the uncertainty of the treatment. Questions like “Will I recover fully?” or “What if I withdraw?” or “What if my friends offer me a drink in the future?” will definitely cross your mind more than once. These questions are normal, and they may make you feel anxious due to an underlying belief that you have to go back to your old ways to feel settled.

Don’t answer the questions. Just get used to your new lifestyle and you’ll do just fine.

Hanging Out With “Old Friends”

It’s okay to get in touch with friends and share some stories about your recovery, but you may want to be careful with people you’ll be interacting with, especially if they were the ones who encouraged you to drink and didn’t do much about your becoming an alcoholic. If you’re set to meet old friends, don’t forget to bring someone with you or set some ground rules.

Relapse is one of the devils that obstruct your way to recovery. The good news is that you always have someone to help you on your journey. Contact us today for more information about our programs.