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Addiction -

We can be addicted to anything. However, when referring to addiction, we generally refer to a chronic medical condition. It’s doing something that is harming you gravely like consuming a drug.

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The disease is partly defined by many mini relapses -

Part of the disease is returning to the drug once we are free. It’s defined as returning to abusive behavior even after we’re free.

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The risk of relapse -

The relapse rate for addiction is around the same (40-60%) as diseases such as asthma, hypertension, and diabetes.

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It's a neural condition -

It’s a disease in the brain. It involves disruptions to certain brain circuits and neutral processes. It affects how we experience pleasure and process rewards.

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Understanding the triggers is essential to avoiding them -

The first step is to understand the triggers. Although they are generally going to be unique for each person, they are usually some mix of anxiety, stress, peer pressure, fatigue, loneliness, withdrawal symptoms, insomnia, relationship issues, drug paraphernalia, and physical symptoms (smell, sight, etc.).

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Avoiding emotional relapse -

There are also different forms of relapse. Emotional relapse isn’t just thinking about having a drink or taking drugs, but neglecting self-care.

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Mental relapse -

The mental relapse is an internal tug-of-war. It means that you crave drugs and alcohol. Nostalgic feelings for people and places associated with the drug is common. People lie to themselves about the consequences.

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Physical relapse -

The physical relapse is when the addictive behavior begins quickly and escalates to an uncontrollable level.

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CBT -

One of the main and most effective approaches to preventing relapse is by practicing cognitive behavioral therapy, commonly referred to as CBT.

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Why CBT works -

Cognitive behavioral therapy sounds like a mouthful, but in some ways it's simple. It’s concerned with preparing people to deal with their cognitions that are challenging or dangerous. It helps form strategies.

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An example of a strategy -

For instance, someone who is addicted to pornography might develop a strategy to call someone whenever they’re thinking about watching it (which is what Russell Brand once said was useful).

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Successful strategies are tailored ones -

Successful strategies to avoid relapse should be tailored to each individual, considering their environment, severity, and mental health condition.

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Support systems -

The support system plays one of the biggest roles. This is who we have around us and the level of support they give us.

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Community is everything -

Our sense of community and belonging is everything in life. It’s been proven to be the most important factor regarding someone’s happiness over a lifetime.

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Community -

One experiment proves this fantastically and involves two environments, both designed to populate rats. As science has proven, these animals run on very similar neural processes to humans. It’s why we test on them so much.

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Belonging and occupation vs loneliness and boredom -

One rat’s environment is filled with wheels and other toys and plenty of rat friends to play with. The other environment has no toys and a rat resides there alone. Both cages have a bottle of cocaine water and a bottle of pure water to drink from. They can drink as they please.

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Rats with friends don't kill themselves with drugs -

The rats which all live together and have toys and activities to keep them busy will try the cocaine water but will stop drinking it. The lone rat with no friends and nothing to do will drink itself to death with the cocaine water. This is the impact of environment on addiction.

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Heroin use in Vietnam -

After and during the Vietnam War, there were huge concerns for US soldiers returning home because many had become addicted to drugs like heroin that were in high availability in Vietnam. The concern was that US soldiers who survived would return to the United States after the war completely addicted to opioids and would end up on the streets as junkies.

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There was no evidence that soldiers came home worse off because of drugs -

However, quite the opposite was true. Even though many of the soldiers had been taking highly addictive substances during the war, when they returned to their country, the huge majority experienced no problems weaning off the drugs. Addiction specialists concurred that the reason they were able to so effortlessly come off of the drugs (they appeared to suffer no more than what typical soldiers did returning from war, suffering from PTSD and the like) was because of the communities and lives they were returning to. They had other ways to entertain themselves, and family and friends around them.

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The individual can take back control -

Outside of treatment, relapse prevention isn’t outside of an individual’s control. It’s done through self-care, seeking help, being honest, following rules, and modifying habits.

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Diet -

Eating a healthy diet is helpful for several reasons. It keeps our minds working well. It also keeps us from becoming stressed or fatigued.

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Sleep -

Good sleep has the same effect. When we are tired, we are generally less durable. Sleep deprivation and addiction go hand-in-hand. It’s triggering.

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Exercise -

Exercising keeps us feeling satisfied and happy with life. It gets endorphins flowing and lowers stress. Stress is the enemy, of course.

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Mind/soul -

There are plenty of techniques that incorporate the body and mind. Being mindful of our actions and thought processes is useful because we can catch ourselves slipping.

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Support groups -

Support groups are popular for a reason. They’re vital for most serious addicts. Peer support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are incredibly effective.

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Honesty and disclosure -

Being honest with the people around you in your circle, especially your family and friends, is hugely helpful. It’s also a good idea to keep people around you who want you to succeed on your road to recovery.

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Finding a creative outlet -

Taking up a creative endeavor like painting, music, writing, sculpting, or dancing can be incredibly beneficial.

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Acupuncture -

Consider acupuncture, which involves a trained professional improving the flow of energy through the body and improving bodily functions. Acupuncture stimulates the body's natural healing powers to stimulate physical and emotional well-being. Being in a good emotional state is needed to avoid a relapse.

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Massage therapy -

Similarly, massage therapy can enhance blood flow and improve physical body symptoms. If anything, massage therapy can serve as a distraction from whatever you're addicted to. If you're a recovering alcoholic, it may be a good idea to book a massage on that evening that you would be out drinking.

Sources: (American Addiction Centers)

See also: Addictions that overwhelmed celebrity couples

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