Relapse prevention is never an easy task and will be a challenge for both the addict and the support system that they have built around them. After struggling for several years with cocaine addiction; and now having been clean for 8 years with no formal treatment, I have put together some of the tools and techniques that I have personally used to conquer relapse and move forward to a life of bliss.

1. Decision

In all things in life, the first step to anything is to make a decision. Once you have made the decision to quit using drugs you know you’re on the right track and can find support to help you continue on that path. Sticking to that decision may be a bit more difficult but making it is the most important step. Once you’ve made the choice, there are further steps and tools you can use to help you stick with that decision and continue moving forward.

2. Courage

It takes a lot of courage to step up and take control of your life. It takes a lot of courage to admit to others, and to yourself that you are an addict, you’re having troubles, and you need help. Developing that courage is a crucial part of recovery and the quicker you’re able to develop it the easier things will be. We all have inner courage; it’s just a matter of finding it and bringing it to the surface. Sit quietly with yourself and ask yourself some serious questions about what you really want in life. You’ll find that when you really want something, the courage will rise up to help you get it.

3. Communication

Learning to communicate with others is an important skill in your recovery. First of all, as addicts, most of us forgot how to communicate effectively, or we simply never learned the skill in the first place. Setting boundaries and learning how to stand up for yourself is crucial. Without these boundaries in place it is easy to fall back into the trap of substance abuse. We also need to learn to say yes to things that are healthy for us. Another great thing about learning to communicate is that we can start sharing our story and hopefully help others around us with what we have learned.

4. Forgiveness

When I was addicted to cocaine I had a really hard time dealing with things that had happened in my past and there were certain people in my life that I was very angry with. I had held onto that anger for a long time and it was eating me up. When I learned to forgive it set me free. Not only was I able to forgive the people that had hurt me and the circumstances of my life that I was angry with, but I was also able to forgive myself. Without the ability to forgive yourself and others it will be very difficult to move forward.

5. Triggers

All addicts have something that sets them off. Sometimes more than one thing will do it. Maybe it’s hanging out with certain people, maybe it’s when something bad happens, or maybe it’s just a certain time of day. The important thing to do is to identify what these triggers are. The more you are aware of what might set you off the easier it will be to avoid the triggers, or find alternatives that will aid you in avoiding drugs.

6. Separation

This idea falls in step with Triggers. There are certain people that, as addicts, we tend to flock toward. The old saying, ‘birds of a feather flock together,’ is very true. To prevent relapse it is crucial that you separate yourself from the people who will drag you down. Your old circle of influence is not going to be helpful in your recovery and you will need to find new friends that will support you and guide you in your new lifestyle.

7. Activity

Being active and busy is very important in staying away from drugs. I found that when I was struggling with relapse I usually went back to it because I was simply bored. Keeping busy and occupied will help prevent the boredom and keep you interested and engaged in activities that are much healthier for your mind and body. Join a book club, find a sport or volunteer somewhere. There are thousands of options.

8. Health

After destroying brain cells and causing all sorts of health problems due to substance abuse it’s important that you focus on your health. There are certain foods you can eat that will help restore brain health, as well as supplements you can take. Mental health is important too. You may want to find someone to talk to, or focus on keeping yourself happy by finding humour in things. Journal writing can be helpful for mental health as well.

9. Connection

Reconnecting spiritually is very important. We are all part of a connection here in this universe and finding that connection will help to keep you centered and grounded. I believe that spirituality looks different for every person; and you just need to find what that looks like for you. Explore, ask questions, or find other people who you’d like to connect with. You’ll eventually find your center and you’ll feel much better about yourself and the world around you.

10. Your Best

In all things, all you can ask of yourself is that you do your best. What that looks like from a day to day basis could change dramatically. Some days you may not even be able to get out of bed. Other days you may feel great and you’ll be able to get heaps of things done. The important thing is that you’re honest with yourself in that you’re giving 100% all of the time.

I would like to add some comments about my favorite slogan….KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). I am frustrated with much of what happens in our world today and more specifically what has happened to treatment for the chemically dependent in our health care system. I prefer to use the expletive UFF DA having grown to manhood in rural Minnesota.

Good treatment is not fueled by the mind. It is fueled by the heart. Good treatment is not necessarily complex and intellectual. The process can be incredibly simple (though elegant). Good treatment is, however, extraordinarily difficult to provide every day. That is because good treatment requires that those who provide it consistently bring great energy, great commitment, great attention and great love to their work every day. And the nature of teams is that frequently when one team member falters so does the entire team. It is also the nature of love that it doesn’t matter much if those providing treatment have a general love of the alcoholic and addict.

What matters is if those providing alcoholism treatment can love the unique alcoholic or addict sitting right in front of them–the alcoholic who is vomiting in the recovery room; the addict who can think of nothing but how to extinguish the craving and the dark voices inside, the patient who complains about everything, the know-it-all “Big I” who can tell us how to run our treatment center and who can work out treatment plans for every other patient in treatment, the patient who can’t quell the shakes sufficiently to drink a cup of coffee without help, the patient who can’t yet find the path to the dining hall, the patient who desperately needs a bath or clean clothes or a tooth brush.

Good treatment for these maladies is simple but requires we love as St. Paul would have us love. You know the words… Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs; it is not snobbish. Love is never rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong, but rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to love’s forbearance, its truth, its hope, its power to endure.

So.. .if we want to make our treatment better we don’t have to make it more complex. We do the basics of good treatment better. We do the simple but effective things well, over and over again. We do the difficult things with as much passion as the easy things. We love each person entrusted to our care even when they are at their most unlovable. Good treatment is simple to provide. It is just difficult to provide. You can’t take time off.

Sometimes people think that if something is simple it has no value. But simplicity is valued in most of our human endeavors by the most brilliant of our species.

In the field of epistemology, there is the concept of Occam’s razor which asserts that all other things being equal the simplest theory is the most likely to be true.

In religion, the Quaker’s believe in the testimony of simplicity which instructs its adherents to simplify one’s life in order to focus on things that are most important and disregard or avoid things that are least important.

In science, the principle of parsimony holds that the explanation of a phenomenon which is least involved is of superior value to a more involved one.

Detoxing from drugs or alcohol at home can be dangerous, but not for the reasons that many might think. Thanks to the glamorization – and sometimes dramatization – of detox and drug rehab, some addicts and alcoholics never seek help for their problem because of what has been portrayed on the subject by Hollywood and the media. But whether any of these portrayals are accurate or not is hardly significant – the problem is that few of them address the fact that in some cases it can be deadly to detox from drugs or alcohol at home. In fact, Amy Winehouse’s family recently told the press that they think she died as a result of detoxing from alcohol at home too quickly. And if there’s any lesson to be learned here, it’s that detox should always occur in a medically-equipped facility.

Of all the substances that a person can detox from, alcohol is the most dangerous. This is a disturbing figure considering that; “It is estimated that only 10 to 20 percent of patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal are treated as inpatients, so it is possible that as many as 2 million Americans may experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal conditions each year.” This means that alcohol is not only the most commonly abused substance; it is also the substance that the most people detox from at home. Unfortunately, many people who attempt this outside of a treatment center will be so overwhelmed by the symptoms of Acute Withdrawal Syndrome that they will return to drinking in order to alleviate the pain and discomfort caused by the detox process.

When a person detoxes from alcohol in a non-medical setting they expose themselves to significant risk. Symptoms of Acute Withdrawal Syndrome set in approximately 8 to 12 hours after the last drink and can continue for as long as 2 weeks. During this time, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, tremors, hallucinations, grand mal seizures, delirium tremens, and dangerously high blood pressure. Because of these symptoms, detox from alcohol should always occur in a medical setting.

Valium and Xanax belong to a class of drug known as benzodiazepines. These drugs are used to treat a variety of conditions but had a significant potential for abuse and addiction. This is troublesome considering that in some cases of alcohol addiction; benzodiazepines are used to treat the patient during the detox process. Detox from benzodiazepines can be dangerous, with symptoms ranging from panic and anxiety attacks, hostility and anger, respiratory depression and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Without management of these symptoms in a professional treatment facility, fatal complications as a result of the detox process are possible.

Detoxing at home from other drugs like heroin, methamphetamines, ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and others generally do not have potential for deadly side effects, but nonetheless can be temporarily debilitating. This includes insomnia, vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, restlessness, chills, cramps, and many other symptoms – all of which can be easily managed in a medical detox facility. If you or someone you love is suffering with an addiction, don’t attempt detox alone! Please use one of the below links to get immediate assistance.