Even a moment or day of life stress can set off bouts of anxiety, depression, or cause other negative thoughts and feelings. For individuals battling through cocaine addiction, these momentary setbacks can trigger a desire for relief. Unfortunately, cocaine relapse is a reality that many who are battling with substance abuse must face at some point during the recovery journey. It’s important to recognize signs and symptoms of relapse and create a relapse prevention plan for substance abuse.
This article will help to guide you through relapse in recovery, something that lots of people experience but are not quite sure how to handle. Regardless of what stage you are in the recovery journey, it’s important to consider the realities of relapse and the need to find alternative methods for coping and overcoming difficult life situations. Whether it is yourself or a loved one, we are here for you.
Below you will find help with tackling relapse triggers, relapse prevention, and where you can get the help needed.
Cocaine Addiction: What Is It Like?
Cocaine is a very common addictive substance due to the effects that it has on an individual’s brain chemistry. The most addictive part of cocaine is the ‘high’ that it gives its users.
The longer an individual uses cocaine, the more reliant the body becomes on continually having this substance. Although your body naturally produces dopamine, your body becomes reliant on dopamine being provided by cocaine. Cocaine increases the effects of neurotransmitters like dopamine and also serotonin. There are many long-term effects of cocaine abuse. Finding recovery sooner is critical.
Once you begin using cocaine and you experience the first ‘high’, higher doses need to be used to achieve this state again. More frequent use of cocaine is also needed to experience this feeling again, which shows how reliant your body has become on the substance.
What Is Recovery Like?
Recovery is always a hard step to take, but one that is necessary for overcoming cocaine addiction. As a recurring disease, addiction can have several setbacks including relapse. It’s important to consider that it’s part of the process of moving through substance abuse toward sobriety. There are many stages to consider during recovery. There are people who still want to help.
If someone is suffering from cocaine addiction, the way that it is treated is different from how addictions to substances like heroin and alcohol are treated. With heroin and alcohol recovery, medicine can be prescribed by medical professionals to help you through the difficult period.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the risk of relapse after periods of abstinence is a “fundamental feature of addiction.”
However, with cocaine, the recovery process relies solely on detoxing from the substance. Although this sounds scary, you are fully supported throughout the whole process. You will also be supported through behavioral intervention and therapies to get you through the process.
Relapse Triggers: How To Get Through Them
Relapsing is not a failure and there is time to try again. An important part of recovery after relapse is identifying triggers and eliminating them from your life. This will help you to lead a happier lifestyle and stay on the road to recovery.
But what sort of triggers can cause a relapse? And how can we overcome them?
Common Relapse Triggers
There are three stages of relapse that can prevent a person from sticking to recovery. These include emotional relapse, mental relapse, and physical relapse. They refer to the struggle of dealing with strong emotions during recovery and battling against cravings.
The main relapse triggers are usually associated with stress, peer pressure, lack of support, boredom, and personal problems. These are all triggers that can lead you off the path to recovery, but they can also be eliminated to help you find the process easier.
Another common relapse trigger is a person’s low self-confidence. This can be down to thinking that they cannot remain clean from cocaine and not seeing the point in carrying on with recovery. With the right support, you can make it through recovery.
Eliminating Triggers
The most effective way in eliminating triggers will be to make significant changes in your lifestyle that will help you during your recovery period. As stress is a common reason for relapse, introducing yourself to exercise, regular sleep, and new hobbies will help to combat your stress.
Learning to communicate your emotions will help you to eliminate triggers, especially during therapy or an intervention. It will also help you to see the support that you have available that will help you through this recovery period.
Practicing mindfulness will also help you to eliminate triggers. This ranges from relaxation techniques to meditation. Make sure that you celebrate your wins, however small they are, and never be ashamed of making mistakes.
Relapse Prevention Plan
A relapse prevention plan will help you to stay on track with your recovery process. The relapse recovery plan will help you to identify your triggers and make these changes to your lifestyle. You will not be alone in this process, and there are centers and recovery coaches to help guide you through this daunting time.
Working with a coach and a center will help you to learn coping mechanisms and techniques for when you find the recovery process difficult. By having a professional recovery coach show you these coping strategies, they can help to support you through them.
Where To Find Help For Cocaine Abuse
At AspenRidge, there are extensive Colorado treatment programs for cocaine addiction. Different treatment programs offer a wide support network so that clients never feel alone throughout the process.
Clients at AspenRidge can take part in individual therapy with a therapist, group therapy with other people, or family sessions where you can have family support at the center. All of these programs offer a wide support network from different personal perspectives.
AspenRidge offers dual diagnosis recovery where both mental health and substance use can be treated together. You can work with a therapist to address any underlying issues and overcome both of these issues surrounded by help and support.
AspenRidge Recovery: Cocaine Relapse
If you or a loved one have experienced a cocaine relapse, there is support that can help you through the process. At AspenRidge, a wide variety of support is offered to clients in many forms, from therapists to peers, to family. Contact us directly at 855-281-5588.
During recovery at a center like AspenRidge, learning how to eliminate triggers and make lifestyle changes will help the client on the road to recovery. Although recovery from relapse may sound scary, the right support is waiting to help you through this time. You are never alone.
