Unfortunately, the battle against addiction doesn’t end once people leave rehab. In fact, addiction is an ongoing battle that requires measures to prevent relapse. Coping skills for relapse prevention are some of the best tools that people can use to avoid needing rehab again. With that said, what are some of the best coping skills?
Picking Up a Hobby
During relapse prevention education, people learn that distracting themselves is the best way to avoid relapse. For that reason, it’s important for them to pick up a hobby when they get out of rehab. The best hobbies are those that they can do indoors and outdoors. As a result, they can engage in that hobby no matter what the weather is outside.
With indoor hobbies, people might feel limited, but there are many activities that they can do. Some examples include reading, playing video games, and making arts and crafts. Some popular outdoor hobbies include:
- Biking
- Playing sports
- Hiking
- Yoga
- Gardening
Learning to Spot Triggers
Drug relapse prevention also requires people to know their triggers. Usually, they learn their triggers while they’re in rehab. Coping skills include the ability to actively pay attention to these triggers and know how to avoid them when possible. The more triggers that they can avoid, the easier that it is for them to avoid relapse.
One of the most common triggers for relapse is stress. Once again, it’s the reason why picking up a hobby after rehab is so important. Participating in a hobby that they enjoy is a great way to reduce stress while they fill their free time.
Coping Skills for Relapse Prevention Aren’t Always Enough
While coping skills are a big help when it comes to staying off of drugs, they aren’t always enough. Sometimes people need help from support groups. Also called self-help groups, they can remind people of what they learned during rehab. They also provide the support that people need to stay on the sober path.
Thankfully, support groups aren’t hard to find. In fact, most rehab centers provide a list of groups in the area to join. In many cases, the facilities run their own support groups for people who complete their rehab programs.
Learn to Cope in Order to Stay Drug-Free
Relapse isn’t fun and requires you to start the entire rehab process over again. Thankfully, coping skills for relapse prevention can keep you from making this mistake. When you look for a rehab center, be on the lookout for one that teaches coping skills, most Pennsylvania alcohol rehabs do. Some other key programs that you may need include:
- Residential treatment
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Intensive outpatient rehab
- Family counseling
Choose a rehab center that can teach you coping skills for relapse prevention. Find out what it takes to avoid relapse and stay off of drugs for good. Reach out to a recovery center today for help.
