Living with alcoholism is damaging to yourself and to the people around you. If you have made the wise choice to let go of alcohol, and have gone through detox, you may be worried about experiencing a relapse. If you do, do not worry because you are not alone. Nobody is perfect, so you shouldn’t expect yourself to be either. We at Knoxville Recovery Center would like to help you understand more about why people relapse and outline some different ways that you can prevent it.  

Does Alcohol Detox Prevent Relapse?

The first step in any alcohol rehabilitation program is to go through a period of detox. During this time, you will experience withdrawal symptoms that range from mild to severe, depending on how serious your alcoholism is. This is often the most challenging aspect of rehab, as your desire to drink alcohol can become quite overwhelming at times.

Many people think that once they have gone through their detox period, that they are out of the woods, so to speak. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Just because you have successfully made it through detox, this does not mean that you are not a candidate for relapsing. 

Many people find that months or even years after they have been sober that their desire to drink still exists. Some find that this craving comes and goes. Others give into temptation and do fall into an alcohol relapse situation.

Ways to Avoid Alcohol Relapse

One of the best ways to avoid relapsing is to join an alcohol use disorder treatment program. Within these groups, alcoholics share their struggles with one another. By doing so, you essentially become accountable for your actions, making it harder to hide if you do relapse. 

Another important step to avoid relapsing on alcohol is to understand your triggers that make you want to drink in the first place. Triggers may be something as simple as having romanticizing thoughts about drinking in the past. Or, a trigger could be something more general such as just a state of mind that you get when you feel stressed at work for example. 

Another way that may help you avoid a relapse is to make some significant changes happen in your life. One of the first changes you may want to make should include the types of friends you hang out with and the places that you frequent. 

Living healthy should be another important step that you take to avoid relapsing. Getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy foods and finding balance in your life will do wonders to help keep you sober.

Lastly, one of the most important things you can do to make sure that you don’t relapse is to make sure that you don’t get bored. Being bored is a trigger for most people. Find new and exciting ways to keep busy in your life. Find a new hobby, or spend your time getting plenty of exercise.  

Receive Help from Knoxille Recovery Center

Whether you have already been through detox or not, it is a good idea to be prepared for what lies ahead of you. We at Knoxville Recovery Center understand how difficult it can be to avoid relapse after you have done the hard work of going through detox. That is why we are here to help with your recovery every step of the way. If you are ready to begin your program or if you just need help staying on track, call us today. Our team of friendly and helpful professionals are waiting to speak with you. You do not have to struggle alone any longer.