5 Tips for Improving Success with Addiction Recovery

Health News
Written by Sumona
May 18, 2022

Overcoming an addiction is a huge undertaking. While there’s no cure for addictions, there is hope for learning how to manage your recovery and avoid using substances.

The efforts, while difficult, are well worth it.

Whether you’re considering asking for help with your substance dependencies or currently navigating your recovery, use these five tips to improve your chances of success.

Contents

5 Essential Tips for Addiction Recovery Success

1. Find the Right Support Program

Finding the right support program is a must when prioritizing your recovery. Getting support extends beyond searching “drug rehab near me” and choosing the first option that pops up. It’s important to do some research and take a closer look at what solutions they provide.

Does the addiction rehab you’re considering have a MAT doctor on staff and systems in place for a safe detox? Does the treatment program include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you work through traumas that trigger your addiction? Do they offer ongoing support and outpatient programs?

In addition to finding the right professional support team, it’s also important to have an emotional support team in place. Ask for support from friends and loved ones who want to see you succeed. Navigating these relationships can be challenging when facing addiction. If you’re struggling to get support from loved ones, reach out to a local or online support group.

2. Reframe Your Mindset About Recovery

One of the challenges with having a successful recovery is defining the term itself. Success looks different for everyone, and experiencing a relapse doesn’t mean you’re not successful. Even with great support systems in place, relapses occur sometimes. This doesn’t mean you’ve failed, but rather that you’ve experienced a setback and need to course correctly.

Reframing your mindset to think of recovery as an ongoing journey and practicing self-compassion will improve your chances of success. With these exercises, you’ll avoid the negative self-talk and shame cycle, creating a more positive outlook that keeps you moving forward in the face of adversity.

3. Learn to Understand Your Triggers and Warnings

First, know thyself. When it comes to recovery, self-awareness plays an integral role. It’s essential to understand your personal triggers and warning signs so you can take steps to get back on track.

Triggers could include:

Interactions with certain people
Emotional or stressful life events
Proximity to substances

As substances tend to be a coping mechanism for people with addictions, stressful events are common triggers. Learning to identify these triggers and putting a plan in place to manage them is essential for success. Unfortunately, triggers aren’t always avoidable.

It’s also important to know the warning signs of an impending relapse. Some common signs include:

Addictive thought patterns (i.e., thinking about the substance more)
Engaging in destructive or impulsive behavior
Intentionally putting yourself in proximity to substances

The more aware you are of the warning signs in yourself, the better prepared you’ll be to deal with them and prevent a relapse.

4. Create New Goals and Routines

When navigating the recovery journey, it’s important to look ahead and break old habits. Create new goals for yourself so you have something to focus on and move toward. Break your old routines and replace them with new ones to break the psychological habit loop in your mind.

A habit loop is a sequence of events that creates a pattern our minds attach to. The three components are a cue, a routine or habit, and a reward. Even something as simple as drinking your morning coffee can be a cue.

Many smokers have a routine of waking up, making coffee, and enjoying a cigarette as they drink it. When they try to quit smoking, waking up and drinking coffee will immediately trigger the craving because the mind expects it. As such, many smokers are encouraged to give up coffee for a few weeks or reshape their routines to break the habit loop.

If your routine was to walk by the liquor store and grab a bottle, take a new route. If you enjoy using drugs before bed, make that time period your meeting time. Breaking routines will help rewire your neural pathways, using science to improve your recovery success.

5. Celebrate Milestones and Successes

Finally, celebrate your milestones and successes. Every small goal accomplished, every day you stay sober, every time you experience something positive, celebrate it. Practice gratitude, creating a positive mindset that carries you through the tougher moments.

With the right support system and structured outlook for the future, you can improve your success with addiction recovery.

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