Guide to Avoiding Holiday Relapse This Thanksgiving
Guide to Avoiding Holiday Relapse This Thanksgiving
Statistics show that avoiding holiday relapse is a difficult thing to do. Without a doubt, beating addiction of any kind at all is not easy. But once one is sober the holidays are the worst time for attempting to achieve permanent sobriety. This is the time of year where the greatest celebration occurs. Also, it is also the time of year when people who do not normally partake in substances do in fact partake. What does this mean for the average recovering addict? Bad news indeed and a lot of work ahead to be able to stay clean from those substances. Recovering addicts are sadly more likely to relapse around Thanksgiving and Christmas than any other time of the year.
The Statistics on Relapse
- Drug and alcohol rehab statistics show that the percentage of people who will relapse after a period of recovery ranges anywhere from 50% to 90%. Their success depends on which rehab program they enter and what steps they take after rehab is completed. This is a frightening statistic and it is often used as justification for those who wish to carry on with their addiction.
- There are many dangerous side effects and issues that plague those who are addicted. However, of all of these effects, none are more devastating than the death of the user. As devastating as this is though, it sadly is quite common. About one in four deaths in the United States can be attributed to illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. When it comes to drugs though, ninety percent of deaths that occur happen during a relapse.
- Drug and alcohol use is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in America killing around 570,000 people a year. These deaths come from overdoses, relapses, drunk driving, drugged driving, drug crime, violence, and other accidents, injuries, and incidents of poisoning. Substance abuse by far is a major, leading cause of preventable death, ranking only behind smoking and obesity.
Avoiding Holiday Relapse by Remembering Your Goals
It is key to remember your goals and your intentions that got you off of drugs and alcohol in the first place. These are by far the most important factors here.
Those goals will come to your aide the most when you try avoiding holiday relapse. Next, be sure to call upon your support network, namely the people who have pledged their help and their assistance to you in the past. These individuals can provide succor and aid to you if times get tough. Finally, check into an aftercare center. An outpatient aftercare center is any organization that offers services to recovering addicts. Aftercare helps people who, though they may have already beaten addiction, still seem to be struggling quite a bit to maintain sobriety.
Staying sober is always going to be a trial and error conquest. But the choices that a person makes in life definitely alter his or her overall success. Now more than ever, it is up to the recovering addicts themselves with avoiding holiday relapse.
