Relapse Prevention: Staying Strong and Breaking Old Habits

Hi there! I’m Denise G Lee, a healing and leadership coach who helps people run their businesses while also taking care of themselves.

Today, I want to talk about something very important: relapse prevention. You might wonder, “What does that mean?” Well, relapse prevention is all about staying strong and not going back to old, harmful habits. This is especially important for people recovering from addiction.

Addiction is when someone can’t stop doing something that is bad for them, like drinking alcohol or using drugs. It can be very hard to stop, and sometimes people who are trying to quit might start again. This is called a relapse. But don’t worry, because there are ways to prevent it!

This article will explain why relapse happens and how we can stop it from happening. Understanding relapse prevention can help anyone, especially business owners, stay healthy and happy. So first let’s talk about what causes someone to relapse after maintaining sobriety.

Causes of Relapse

Relapse in addiction recovery is a complicated issue with many possible causes. Often, we feel overwhelmed by the changes in our lives during recovery and might crave the things we thought we lost while staying sober. I discussed this in the social media post below.

In this section, we’ll go over some common reasons why people relapse during recovery. First, I want to discuss the scientific reasons why some people relapse even after years of sobriety.

When we make the decision to get well, do to better in our lives — it appears things are getting WORSE instead of better.

🤦🏿‍♀️Our drinking “friends” don’t like the fact we aren’t wanting to get wasted on the weekends.

We feel lonely.

🤦🏿‍♀️🤦🏿‍♀️Family members will get upset that you…

— Denise G. Lee (@DeniseGLee) July 8, 2024

The Science Behind Relapse

Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse has this to say about addiction: “Addiction changes the brain in fundamental ways, disturbing a person’s normal hierarchy of needs and desires and substituting new priorities connected with procuring and using the drug. The resulting compulsive behaviors that override the ability to control impulses despite the consequences are similar to hallmarks of other mental illnesses“.

So let’s say this in a much simpler way: Addiction really shakes up your brain, messing with what you care about and putting getting and using the drug at the top of your list. This makes you act on impulses without thinking about the consequences, which is a lot like other mental health issues.

Dr. Kevin McCauley, MD, MPH, an expert on the neuroscience of addiction and recovery management, has this to say: “The brain chemical that works with dopamine, which is released whoever we engage in pleasurable behaviors. In a nutshell, dopamine grabs our attention and directs it toward the thing that released it. In the brain of person of with addiction, the drugs, alcohol, or intoxicating behaviors are flagged as important for survival.”

Wanting to get that high again, no matter what happens next.

So don’t be surprised if you will crave and crave to use again, no matter that:

• You might trade your favorite concert tickets just to get that next hit.
• You’ll find yourself dodging your best friend’s calls because you’re too busy figuring out how to get more.
• You could even end up trying to bribe your neighbor with homemade cookies just to get a loan for your next fix!

The mind wants to get that hit again. Like a dog that just spotted a squirrel, it’s all focused and determined, … https://deniseglee.com/relapse-prevention-staying-strong-and-breaking-old-habits/