The Dangers of Being Alone in Addiction Recovery
There are times when we feel like we just want to shut the rest of the world out and relax after a hard day at the office or at the sports field but when it comes to addiction recovery, feeling or wanting to be alone is never a good thing. When someone finishes a stint in addiction treatment, it gives them the opportunity to rectify their mistakes and also to rebuild their lives. However, the addiction recovery path is not an easy one at all and the chances of suffering a relapse are in fact at its highest in the early periods after rehab! For example, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) state that “approximately 90 percent of alcoholics are likely to experience at least one relapse over the 4-year period following treatment.” For more information about this, click here:
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa06.htm
While this statistic may be alarming, it doesn’t mean that you or your loved one has to suffer the same fate, that’s why in this article, we’re going to tell you about the dangers of feeling alone in addiction recovery.
Why is Feeling Alone in Addiction Recovery so Dangerous?
One of the main aims of any addiction treatment centre is to ensure that their patients are prepared with the necessary skills to avoid using the narcotic substance that they were previously addicted to. Once discharged, it’s now up to the recovering addict to put what they have learned inside rehab into practice. However, without the guidance and help of the counsellors and therapists inside the rehabilitation centre, this may seem like a mountain to climb as the addict may begin to feel that they do not have the support they need. This may force the recovering addict to become more isolated, introverted and may even slip into their old habits.
How to Tell if You or a Loved One is Feeling Alone in Addiction Recovery
If you are wondering how you can tell if you or your loved one is feeling alone, see if you can relate to the following signs:
- Feeling angry and resentful
- Starting to think negatively
- Having constant cravings for drugs or alcohol
- Stopping or refusing to become involved in healthy and positive activities
- Keeping secrets from loved ones
- Feeling like things are out of control
- Feeling bored
- Blaming others for everything that has happened
If you recognise these warning signs with you or a loved one, then it may be a sign that a relapse is imminent or it could have already happened.
How to Avoid Feeling Alone in Addiction Recovery
Set Goals – A good way to avoid becoming isolated is to constantly set goals to achieve. It doesn’t have to be big goals; in fact, it could be reading a certain amount of chapters in a book or trying to make a certain food. Don’t forget to reward the achievements as well! This helps to keep the morale and self-esteem of a recovering addict high. Join a Support Group – Organisations such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) have proven to be highly successful in helping recovering addicts achieve long term addiction recovery as it helps to meet and learn from people in a similar position as you.
Failure in Addiction Recovery is not the End of the World!
While it may be disappointing, don’t let failure get the better of you. What is key is that you get back on the addiction recovery track. The best way to do this is by getting into addiction treatment again and to work with a counsellor to find out why you suffered a relapse and how you can avoid this from happening in the future. On the bright side, you will be better prepared than what you were before! For access to the best private addiction recovery centres in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Thailand, call us now and let one of our qualified counsellors find the best treatment available for you!