A Reminder from Austin Drug & Alcohol Abuse Program, Austin, Texas -- Prevention is the key!

Early Relapse Prevention

Relapse prevention at this stage means recognizing that you're in emotional relapse and changing your behavior.  Recognize that you're isolating and remind yourself to ask for help.  Recognize that you're anxious and practice relaxation techniques.  Recognize that your sleep and eating habits are slipping and practice self-care.

If you don't change your behavior at this stage and you live too long in the stage of emotional relapse you'll become exhausted, and when you're exhausted you will want to escape, which will move you into mental relapse.

Practice self-care. The most important thing you can do to prevent relapse at this stage is take better care of yourself.  Think about why you use.  You use drugs or alcohol to escape, relax, or reward yourself.  Therefore you relapse when you don't take care of yourself and create situations that are mentally and emotionally draining that make you want to escape.

For example, if you don't take care of yourself and eat poorly or have poor sleep habits, you'll feel exhausted and want to escape.  If you don't let go of your resentments and fears through some form of relaxation, they will build to the point where you'll feel uncomfortable in your own skin.  If you don't ask for help, you'll feel isolated.  If any of those situations continues for too long, you will begin to think about using.  But if you practice self-care, you can avoid those feelings from growing and avoid relapse.  (Reference: www.AddictionsAndRecovery.org).  

If you have any questions about our Program or class schedule, please call 512/454-8180 or visit www.adaap.com.  Thank you.