Alcohol Recovery Tips

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Alcohol Recovery Tips To Help You On Your Journey

Deciding to go to alcohol rehab is an important step, and you may be wondering how you can make your journey toward recovery as successful as possible.

Alcohol recovery tips can help you learn what to expect during recovery and develop strategies for staying sober.

Some of the top alcohol recovery tips are discussed here, and they can keep you on track during your time spent in alcohol rehab.

One Of The Most Important Alcohol Recovery Tips: Make a Relapse Prevention Plan

Going through alcohol rehab is an important part of staying sober, but one of the most critical alcohol recovery tips is the fact that it is essential to create a relapse prevention plan.

You may think that simply going through rehab means you are recovered and will never struggle with alcoholism again, but as the National Institutes of Health explains, an alcohol use disorder, which is the clinical term for alcoholism, is a chronic brain disorder, and relapse is a part of it.

This means that there will be triggers or stressors from time to time that may make you want to drink, even if you have been sober from alcohol for a period of time.

Having a relapse prevention plan is such an important one of the alcohol recovery tips, because it helps you to identify triggers that my lead you to drink, as well as ways you can manage them.

For instance, if you know that conflict in your relationship drives you to drink, you can have a plan in place, that does not involve drinking, to help you cope with conflict.

This may involve going outside for a walk or taking ten minutes to yourself to relax after an argument.

Other Alcohol Recovery Tips Surrounding Relapse

There are other alcohol recovery tips surrounding relapse, beyond developing a relapse prevention plan. One of these alcohol recovery tips is that you must accept that relapse does not mean that treatment has failed. Sometimes, when people go through alcohol rehab and later return to drinking, they think they have failed or that their rehab program was not effective. In reality, relapse is a natural part of recovery for some people. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, relapse rates for addiction are similar to those for medical conditions like asthma or high blood pressure.

This means that a relapse indicates that it is time to change your treatment plan or return to treatment. As with any other chronic condition, alcohol addiction requires ongoing attention, or symptoms may return in the form of a relapse. Another important one of the top alcohol recovery tips is that you should not view a relapse as a single event.

According to the author of a report in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, relapse occurs in three stages. The first stage is an emotional relapse, when people begin to isolate themselves. Next, they move into mental relapse, where they begin to crave alcohol or glamorize their past alcohol abuse. Finally, during the physical relapse stage, a person returns to using alcohol.

Another Key Item Among The Top Alcohol Recovery Tips: Learn To Identify Early Signs Of Relapse

As experts explain, relapse is not a single event but rather a series of events that leads up to using alcohol again. To be successful in alcohol recovery, it is critical that you are able to identify the early signs of relapse, in order to prevent yourself from returning to alcohol abuse.

For example, some of the key indicators of emotional relapse, which is the first stage in the relapse process, include holding emotions inside, isolating yourself from others, not attending recovery meetings, or placing the needs of others above your own. If you begin to notice yourself falling into these habits, it is time to develop a plan to change your behavior. Make a commitment to reach out to others, attend meetings, make your needs a priority, and share uncomfortable emotions with someone trusted, such as a therapist or support person.

If you move even further along in the relapse process, you may find yourself in a state of mental relapse, in which you may begin thinking about your old drinking buddies, trying to convince yourself you can have just a few drinks, or even making a plan to drink again. Once you begin to notice these signs, it is critical that you reach out to a therapist or other supportive person to prevent a physical relapse, in which you actually return to drinking.

Using Self-Care To Stay Sober

Beyond controlling relapse triggers and learning ways to identify early signs of relapse, it is important to use self-care during your recovery journey. Alcohol recovery tips involving self-care include being sure to get adequate sleep and follow a proper diet.

It is also important to be kind to yourself and to take time to engage in activities that you find to be enjoyable. Whether this means baking, reading a good book, or taking on a new hobby, these activities can take the place of drinking when you need an outlet for stress.

Moving your body with physical exercise is another form of self-care, because exercise is beneficial for the brain and can boost your mood. Alcohol recovery tips should always involve self-care, because it heals both the mind and body and can help you to stay abstinent from alcohol.

Rounding Out The List Of the Most Important Alcohol Recovery Tips: Staying In Treatment

Another one of the top alcohol recovery tips is that you need to stay in treatment for a sufficient amount of time. Some people may think that they can simply go through alcohol detox and/or complete a 30-day stay in rehab, and forever be cured of alcoholism. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Detox is only the first step in the alcohol recovery process, and while inpatient alcohol rehab can be effective, it is important to stay engaged in treatment over the long-term, since alcohol addiction is a chronic condition.

As with other medical conditions, stopping treatment can cause you to relapse, so staying in treatment is necessary. Your treatment needs may decrease over time as you develop stronger skills for coping with triggers of addiction, but you should continue the habits built during recovery, such as attending support group meetings and connecting with others in recovery, over the long-term.

Free Insurance Verification for Rehab

California Alcohol Rehab

If you are interested in alcohol recovery tips, you may be seeking treatment for alcohol addiction.

For those located in California, Resurgence California has multiple Orange County locations, and we offer alcohol detox as well as outpatient and inpatient alcohol rehab.

If you choose Resurgence California inpatient rehab, you will receive treatment in a homelike setting, with easy access to amenities like beaches, piers, waterfalls, pools, and outdoor shopping.

During your stay with us, you will participate in individual and group counseling, educational workshops, therapeutic outings, and relaxation activities like yoga and meditation.

We will help you to learn alcohol recovery tips and develop coping skills for dealing with triggers of addiction.

If you are worried about covering the costs of alcohol rehab, complete our free insurance verification either on our website or via phone call, and a member of our team will tell you what services your plan covers and how much you can expect to pay out of pocket.

We can also help you to create a private payment plan. Call us today to discuss your options.

Sources:

1) https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-use-disorder
2) https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553654/
4) https://archives.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2011/03/physical-activity-may-prevent-substance-abuse