While the global pandemic has been difficult for individuals around the world, the recovery community has been struck particularly hard. This time of added stress, anxiety, and isolation has taken its toll on many people currently in recovery from addiction and has caused many to relapse. With the added pressure of potential relapse due to the unforeseen circumstances of COVID-19, many people in recovery may be frightened. To keep everyone safe, NorthStar Transitions wants to ensure people know what triggers to look out for during COVID and how to manage them should they experience them. Here, relapse triggers that may occur during COVID will be discussed, and ways to manage them will be given to boost your recovery.
It is crucial to understand what relapse is. Many individuals have the common misbelief that relapse occurs in a single moment, but this is often not the case. Relapse is a process that first begins with unhealthy thoughts concerning drugs and alcohol, then behaviors that point to an impending relapse, then the physical relapse itself. It is essential to know of this process to notice the signs in yourself or a loved one to help avoid relapse and implement prevention strategies.
While you were in treatment, you most likely learned to identify your triggers and develop strategies to cope with them should they arise. Now that you are post-treatment and learning to cope with recovery during a global pandemic, now is a great time to revisit common relapse triggers to ensure you are aware of them. You should be especially vigilant when it comes to triggers that may arise during COVID-19, as some will be more frequent than others. You may experience:
While some of these may not have been as triggering to you in the past, it is crucial to be aware of them during this uncertain time so you can prepare for any emotional reactions.
This time can be stressful, uncertain, and anxiety-inducing. However, you still need to be prepared for the possibility of relapse triggers to appear. Even the person that seems the strongest in their recovery could falter in this uncertain time. Knowing what prevention strategies there are can help you feel more prepared for potential triggers. If you feel triggered at some point in your recovery, especially during the pandemic, try the following tips:
HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. These describe common relapse triggers that people often face. Next time you feel tempted to turn back to drugs and alcohol for comfort, ask yourself if you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? By taking care of these needs, you will successfully fight back against triggers and engage in active self-care to maintain your sobriety.
The HALT technique can help you engage in self-care conducive to your recovery. However, there are other ways to engage in self-care that are crucial to preventing relapse. These include making sure you get enough sleep, eating nutritious meals, exercising, and taking time for yourself. In an uncertain time, focusing on the things you can control can help you regain your footing in recovery. Why not focus on things that will make you feel better and improve your overall wellbeing?
This relapse prevention technique was created by Alan Marlatt, a psychologist that worked in the addiction treatment field. It states that urges usually have a peak period and then subside, meaning you don’t have to give into them to go away.
To surf an urge, you need to sit down and take a couple of moments to identify where you feel the urges in your body. Perhaps your mouth becomes dry, you feel things in your abdomen, or develop a headache. Once you have identified these areas, focus on them. Take note of what you are feeling, how you feel it, how much space it takes up, and try to picture sensations that match the feelings. For example, you can picture orange and associate it with a warm feeling in your body.
From there, focus on your breath and try to breathe from one place, such as from your belly. Then, shift your focus back to the areas where you feel the urge. Try to imagine your breathing in sync with the area, and focus on how it makes you feel. Imagine the urge coming in waves, and as you continue breathing out, the waves become smaller and smaller, riding away from you. Once the urges begin to subside, continue describing how you feel. Continue until the feeling has gone away completely. Then, thank yourself for surfing the urge instead of giving in to it.
COVID-19 has caused many individuals in the recovery community to relapse or think about relapse due to stressful, unforeseen circumstances. While relapse does not make you a failure in your recovery, you should be prepared for it, especially during times like this. It is best to know what triggers could potentially arise during the pandemic and how you can cope with them. NorthStar Transitions understands that the pandemic has had a profound effect on those recovering from addiction. For this reason, we want to put our best foot forward and help our clients and individuals from around the world stay safe, happy, healthy, and sober. If you or someone you know is currently in recovery and struggling to maintain sobriety, give us a call. Our programs can help you regain your footing and remind you why you got sober in the first place. Call us today at (303) 558-6400 to get started.
