I AM IN THE PROCESS OF SIGNING UP AS NON PROFIT. ALL DONATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE EITHER CHECK OR MONEY ORDER AND WILL GO TO PAR, A STATE FUNDED ADULT REHAB HERE IN FLORIDA. IF INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THEM PLEASE MAIL ANY DONATIONS TO LYNN NELSON C/O SOBER & SEXY, 100 SINGLETARY CIRCLE, #6, IMMOKALEE, FL 34142

Know Your Triggers for Drug/Alcohol Use

A "trigger" is something that prompts one to think about, crave, and ultimately relapse on drugs/alcohol. Triggers vary depending on the alcoholic/addict and his/her history and patterns of use. For example, some alcoholics cannot go to bars after they get sober (at least for a long time), because it makes them think about the "romantic" aspects of their use. Others are fine in bars, because they always drank alone in their apartments.

Other common triggers for use are sex (or unhealthy emotional entanglements), other addictions to things like shopping, food, and work, or being in touch with former using friends. While each addict has much in common, each addict has differing patterns of use. It is suggested that you make a list of your past use "triggers" and be sure to avoid them at all costs. If you need to be in a particular situation (and as the Big Book of AA says, "if you have a legitimate reason for being there") then check with sober friends and/or a sponsor to get suggestions for coping.

It is also recommended that those of you in your first year of sobriety read the book Living Sober: Some Methods AA Members Have Used for Not Drinking, as it has a lot of details and suggestions regarding common trigger situations and alternative coping skills (other than alcohol/drug abuse)

Recovery Choices Outside of Twelve-Step Programming

It is through repeated clinical experience that the most effective way for anyone to recover from addiction/alcoholism is through different recovery programs of an addicts/alcoholics choice.  I believe in presenting a variety of options which will be recovered in future blogs but you are more than welcome to go ahead and contact me at anytime for questions concerning any type of program. Excellent resources to couple with 12-step programs are Residential Treatment (especially for those with a history of relapse), sober Halfway House Living, Intensive Outpatient Therapy, and even Inpatient Treatment for those in the very first stages of recovery.

Other treatment modalities, such as Harm-Reduction (most often used in treatment of the chronically mentally ill), Rational Recovery, Social Skills Training, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (to name a few) are also options to consider. More information on these can be obtained both online and at any larger library. It is important for you to do the research yourself, talk to people with similar experiences, and decide what form of treatment can help you lead a happy, emotionally balanced and drug/alcohol free life!!!

Early Relapse Prevention: Avoiding Major Life Changes When Possible

One of the common features of alcoholic/addict behavior is the tendency to seek impulsive and often self-defeating highs. This tendency can manifest itself in more than just drug/alcohol use. The first year of sobriety can often be more painful than the fun (or even painful) days of using, because the alcoholic/addict is so used to numbing and avoiding painful feelings. If a person is really focusing on his/her recovery, those painful feelings will soon come to the surface.

The tendency is for the person in early recovery to medicate these feelings by causing chaos or excitement in other areas of his/her life. Major geographic, job, relationship, financial, or lifestyle changes are highly discouraged in the first months and year of recovery. This suggestion is very hard for a person in early sobriety to grasp, as he/she is accustomed and even programmed to do something to escape feelings.

Note: For unavoidable changes, like getting fired, a partner leaving you, losing your home, death of a loved one, it is essential that you seek the support of other sober friends, a sponsor and possibly a mental  professional to cope with your situation and to avoid relapse.

Relapse Prevention: Have a Plan

One of the inevitable aspects of lifelong recovery from alcohol/drug abuse is that you will have cravings from time-to-time. The average craving only lasts about 60 seconds. It is the indulgence in the thought or the possibility of use that makes a negative thought or craving last for days on end. It is important that you have a plan in place for such moments. Here are some plan-in-place ideas:

• Have several support people on speed dial. This way, if one isn't available when you call, you can call someone else, and you don't have to take the time to find any numbers.
• Stand Still. If you are standing in the middle of the street, you can't do anything silly (like drink or use).
• Just start running. Even in place. Again, this may sound silly, but you can run this thought off by focusing on something else.
• Have a round the clock list of meetings on hand. Go to one immediately if you can.
• Do the dishes.
• BREATHE through the feeling

Obtaining a Network of Recovery Support

One of the hallmark behaviors of people who relapse is failure to obtain a network of support. The addicts tendency is to isolate, withdraw and to be convinced that he/she "has this taken care of on my own." That is an automatic prescription for relapse, because the addict thought processes are constantly searching for a way to make you drink, drug, and ultimately die. For this reason, it is crucial that you connect with both program members and non-program members (for example, a sister or friend who does not have an addiction problem, but whom is very supportive of your seeking help) so that you have healthy people (and healthy thoughts) surrounding you.

Be honest with the people you trust about your efforts and verbalize your need for their support. This practice will feel awkward at first, but you will be surprised how many people really care about you and want you to be well.

Finding a Spiritual Connection to Avoid Relapse

Some people have a difficult time grasping the concept of a "Higher Power" suggested in 12-Step programs. The good news is that there is no spiritual or religious requirement for membership in such a group. The only requirement is your desire to stop using drugs and/or alcohol. Anything else is something that each person tailors to meet his/her needs. It is suggested that one find some sort of spiritual connection in maintaining sobriety. 

How to Pick a Sponsor

One of the major components of any drug rehab program is the presence of a "sponsor." The sponsor is the person who essentially looks after the person in rehab and helps through their 12 steps. Before choosing a sponsor, it is suggested that you go to various meetings (especially early on) and listen and watch the members there. If you like what someone has to say (or think you'd like the recovery they seem to have), then get to know him/her a bit better. Ask that person to coffee and find out what you have in common, and find out his/her focus in the 12-step program. Additionally, it is suggested that you work with someone who has worked through the 12 steps already.

Triggers

A "trigger" is anything -- a sight, a sound, a smell, a feeling -- that can inspire cravings, usually by reminding the user of past drug or alcohol experiences.

In the early days after detox, almost anything can be a trigger. Reading the news, hearing a song on the radio, seeing a TV commercial showing people in a bar having a good time, catching a whiff of marijuana as you walk past a group of people. It may be necessary to limit media consumption and come up with a list of avoidance behaviors at first to continue in recovery.

Over time, external triggers are likely to lose some of their power. The alcoholic may be able to drive past a billboard with a picture of a cold glass of beer without experiencing a craving. More insidious are emotional triggers that may have contributed to the addiction in the first place -- feelings of not belonging, or anxiety about dating, for example. These will be different for everyone, and a personal relapse prevention plan should include a list of known triggers and strategies for managing them without putting the harmful chemical in their bodies.

Anyone that has any questions about addiction please feel free to e-mail me at LynnNelson6489@hotmail.com