It’s a huge moment when your loved one agrees to seek help for drug or alcohol abuse.
But it doesn’t take long for questions to start creeping into your mind. There’s one concern that seems to be at the top of most people’s lists: “What if my loved one is tempted to use again and how can I prevent a relapse?”
How to Prevent Relapse
Getting sober is half the battle, staying sober is the real goal. How to stay sober is the question.
A rehab facility is a good start, but there are things that you can do to help your loved one.
How to Help Your Loved One Stay Sober
Of course, everyone is different, but here are some general strategies for helping your family member or friend stay sober.
- Don’t compare. Your loved one doesn’t want to hear about your second cousin’s daughter is going to two meetings a day. Let your loved one progress at his or her own pace without the constant comparisons to other people.
- Stay supportive. Offer to take your loved one to meetings, if that’s an issue. Also, just being available to talk and doing your best to listen without opinions on how to “fix” everything. Strive to be as non-judgmental as possible.
- Focus on health. Living a healthy lifestyle can go along way in helping your loved one feel good during recovery. Shop at your local farmers market and prepare a meal together. Exercise together, play tennis, golf, or shoot some hoops to blow off steam.
- Let the past go. The last thing someone in recovery wants to be reminded of is how they hurt you while drunk or high. If you can’t let it go, seek help in support group or therapy.
- Stay patient. Recovery is a long journey, not a single event. The truth is, your loved one will make mistakes along the way. Give them time to rebuild their life for the better.
Alcohol and Drug Relapse Prevention at Moonlight Mountain Recovery
As the saying goes, the best defense is a strong offense. That’s definitely true when it comes to addiction and relapse prevention. By getting someone off alcohol or drugs is the equivalent of playing defense.
At Moonlight Mountain Recovery, a residential treatment center located in the mountains of Pocatello, Idaho, we believe in playing offense. Which means, our main goal isn’t just to get our residents sober, it’s to teach them the coping skills and tools they need to build a better life for themselves.
Everyone that walks through our doors is assigned their own master’s level trained therapist, and together, they will find the root cause of addiction and also help develop strategies to manage and enjoy life without drugs or alcohol. Contact us today to learn more about our drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.
Call Now 208-505-9990
