Addiction recovery is difficult. You must acquire new coping skills, develop new acquaintances, adjust your lifestyle, and make other significant changes in a relatively short amount of time.
There are several opportunities to make blunders, especially early on. The good news is that you don’t have to let these blunders hinder your recovery.
Many of these are avoidable if you know what to look out for. If you make a mistake and notice it early enough, you can typically get back on track.
Once you do that, the next step is to carry on with the treatment under the supervision of the best detox center in your area.
Mistakes To Avoid While Undergoing Addiction Recovery Treatment
People tend to make mistakes along the path of recovery, which is why they relapse into addiction right away. If you don’t want that to happen to you, make sure you consider these mistakes so that you can prevent your relapse.
Let’s take a look:
1: Don’t Expect Too Much So Soon
Recovery from addiction is feasible, and with the proper support, life will undoubtedly improve once you’re sober, but it won’t happen overnight.
It takes time to develop new habits and adjust to new ways of thinking. The first several months are usually tricky and unpleasant.
If you expect your life to improve overnight, you will likely be disappointed. Instead, you should expect to observe a difference at the end of your first year of sobriety. In the meanwhile, all you can do is commit to the process.
2: Don’t Think Of Doing It Alone
Perhaps the most challenging step is acknowledging you have such a problem, but it is equally challenging to seek help.
Many people acknowledge having a drug or alcohol problem, but they prefer dealing with it independently. This is almost always a mistake.
The same reasoning that led you to addiction is unlikely to get you out of it. However, you would at the very least benefit from social support, such as the 12-Step meetings, addiction treatment clinics, etc.
3: Don’t Think You Are Cured
After a period, if recovery appears to be progressing well, it’s tempting to become comfortable.
You may begin to cut corners, such as missing meetings or ignoring other aspects of your recovery plan. You could even start to think it’s okay to take a drink now and then.
Well, you’re feeling good because you’re taking care of yourself. So keep doing what you’re doing, and you must adhere to your treatment plan at any cost.
4: Don’t Compare Your Progress With Others
It’s natural to want to know how your rehabilitation is going, but comparing it to others is unhelpful.
Everyone in recovery faces different problems, and you can only know what others tell you. Recovery is also a collaborative endeavor. When people assist one another, everyone wins, but making comparisons turns it into a competition.
It is considerably better to assess your development based on your own goals and ideals and how you were better today than yesterday.
5: Don’t Hang Out With Your Old Buddies
We are all more susceptible to peer pressure than we realize. Even if your friends who drink and use drugs do not urge you to use, simply being in that atmosphere might trigger your cravings.
People typically experience loneliness during the early stages of recovery, which is why they hang out with former pals even when they know they shouldn’t.
The essential thing is to start building a sober network as soon as possible. Attending frequent 12-Step meetings is a wonderful place to start.
6: Don’t Forget About Mental Health Issues
When most people decide to seek treatment for a drug abuse problem, the first thing that comes to mind is attending a 12-Step group.
This is an excellent beginning step, and organizations such as AA and NA have assisted millions of individuals in becoming clean throughout the years.
However, it’s also crucial to remember that most persons who have drug use disorders also have co-occurring mental health difficulties. Therefore, it will be far more challenging if you do not address these concerns.
7: Don’t Start Dating Right Away
Most experts recommend giving yourself at least a year to recuperate before you consider dating again.
This can be difficult since drug use disorders generally begin in early adulthood, when people most actively date. However, there are compelling reasons to postpone.
Dating may be difficult and time-demanding, and if you meet someone you like, you are more inclined to put that person ahead of your recovery. Furthermore, if people begin dating too soon, they frequently revert to destructive relationship habits.
8: Don’t Think Treatment Is The Answer To Everything
Many people believe that they can enter a treatment program, solve their addiction problem, and not worry about it again.
In truth, addiction is a chronic disorder, and it takes roughly a year on average for your relapse risk to drop below 50%. This is because you must make a seamless transition from treatment to regular life so easily.
A significant recovery is about altering your attitude about life, not only refraining from drugs and alcohol. Some rehabs are also considering CBD as alternative medicines, so that’s another way to treat the addiction.
9: Don’t Forget About Positive Triggers
If you go through addiction counseling or treatment, you will undoubtedly discuss a lot about triggers that might generate cravings.
People frequently overlook the fact that good emotions may sometimes serve as triggers.
For example, happy events, such as getting married, being promoted, or having a kid, may be stressful and indulge you in taking drugs once again. Therefore, don’t let the happy mood catch you off guard.
10: Don’t Expect Others To Change
In an ideal world, your family would attend counseling throughout your treatment, learn to communicate, and respect each other’s limits.
The reality, on the other hand, is rarely so kind.
We frequently have to accept that our family does not support us as much as we would want. Assuming that they must comply with your preferences will only make you unhappy. Instead, go with the flow, and accept what others are doing.
Closing Thoughts
If you take these mistakes into account, you would most likely refrain from making them in the future. However, once you make these mistakes and realize your deed, you can also go back on track.
You don’t need to think that you are alone in this journey. Many people face the same troubles as you are, but some are only better at hiding them.
Therefore, post your queries in the comment box if you have any, and we will get back with an answer.