Overcoming addiction can be a painful, stressful process for your body and mind. Unfortunately, no addict is immune to relapsing, as it can affect anyone struggling with addiction. But, you might be able to aid your own recovery by setting goals for yourself that you want to attain during, and after, the process, which can help you remember why you want to get your life back on track.
What are the Different Types of Relapses?
Relapse isn’t a one-size-fits-all issue for addicts. There are different types of relapse, all of which can have devastating effects on you and your loved ones if they were to happen.
A physical relapse is one in which you physically restart your addiction. This could mean that you drive to the store for more beer and begin drinking it, or you call up your friend to get you more of your drug of choice. Physical relapse usually stems from mental conflicts, which should be dealt with first before the behavior is.
A mental relapse refers to your thought process regarding your addiction. You might start daydreaming about drinking again or have a difficult time stopping your brain from thinking about your friends who were involved in your using.
An emotional relapse is one in which your moods and behaviors are influencing your ability to recover. Anxiety and depression are common symptoms of withdrawal and recovery, but they could also lead to a relapse in the near future if they aren’t dealt with quickly.
How Common is it to Relapse?
If you’ve relapsed, you aren’t alone. About half of those in recovery relapse at some point. It’s also not uncommon for those in recovery to worry about potentially failing. Addiction is a lifelong struggle that requires an excellent support system and a medical team that has your best interests in mind to overcome. But, you can also help yourself by setting goals during recovery so that you have things to reach toward.
It’s important to find an addiction center with a rehab program that can help you. You can click here to find drug rehab centers in the USA to help with your addiction.
Why is Setting Goals an Important Part of Recovery?
Regardless of the type of relapse you might face, setting goals for yourself can help move past all of them. Recovery won’t be the same for everyone, so it’s important to tune into yourself, your likes and dislikes, and what motivates you to be successful. When you take time to realize why you want to recover from addiction, you’ll be able to set goals that can help you battle addiction once and for all.
Goals Help You Think Positively
Those most vulnerable to relapse are usually those who have negative thought processes about themselves and their recovery. When you set goals and reach them, no matter how small, you set yourself up for more positive thinking through improved confidence and a feeling of self-worth.
Try setting smaller goals that are attainable, like staying clean for a day. You can keep broadening your goals as you master them to make them more challenging, but be sure to reward yourself when you reach them.
Goals Can Improve Your Health
Getting your health back is an important part of the recovery process. Your physical health is something you should focus on as part of your goal-setting. You might set a goal to add exercise into your daily lifestyle, which can not only get you in shape, but can also improve your emotional health.
Goals Put Your Future in Clear View
Every person has their own reasons for wanting to get clean. It could be that they found out about a medical issue caused by their addiction, or that they want to be a better person for their loved ones. Regardless of the reasons, you can create goals that match them to help you keep your eye on the prize.
Focus on where you want to see yourself in the future and create goals that will get you there faster. Every time you complete a goal, you’ll be one step closer to living the life you want to live.
Leave a Reply