According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin and opiate addiction are powerful addictions. The chances of relapsing back into opiate addiction are extremely high. Fortunately, there are a variety of simple ways to avoid relapse.
Avoid People and Places you Associate with Using
It is likely that the people and places you used to use drugs with or at are triggers for you. Triggers cause you to crave the opiates again, and this causes relapse. By avoiding these people and places whenever possible, you can help avoid relapsing back into opiate use.
Use Distractions for Cravings and Stressful Situations
When you start to crave opiates, distract yourself. Have an easy distraction such as a book or video game available when you start to crave the drug. Anything that gets your mind off the stress or craving will work to help you avoid relapse.
Take a Class and Learn Something New
Learning something new can help keep you sober.
Learning a new skill engages the brain and body in ways that drugs cannot. Each time you actively engage in something you will find you are not as likely to relapse into using. The trick to this is to be actively engaged in the activity or learning.
Try New Things Until you Find Something you Enjoy
Part of life is trying new things. Most people try new things until they find something that they enjoy doing. This does not mean try new drugs, it simply means to try new activities and hobbies. This is a great way to get out and experience the world without using opiates. There are groups that go out and meet to do activities. There are also volunteer organizations that are always happy for the help.
Go Out with Friends who Practice Sobriety
Just because you are avoiding people and places, where you use to use drugs does not mean that you cannot go out. Most people do not use drugs and there is no reason to isolate yourself. You should plan outings with others. A planned event not only give you something to do but also breaks your isolation and allows you to have fun without the opiates. Isolation and depression are very common when you are in recovery for addiction.
Remember the Positives of Sobriety and the Negatives of Addiction
It is important not to romanticize your addiction. People addicted to opiates often focus on how good the addiction felt. It is important to actively remember why you stopped using and the bad things about being addicted. Some people keep lists of why they quit while others just write it down and post it to their fridge to make sure they remember. If you are having trouble you might want to consider writing it down.
Start a Journal
Journaling is an excellent way to not only keep track of your recovery but find ways to keep from relapsing. Many times, you can find patterns when you write things down daily. These patterns help you identify your triggers.
Find Help When you Need it
If you need help avoiding relapse, simply call us at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?). We can help you find treatment and additional help to avoid relapsing back into an opiate addiction.
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