I AM still receiving emails from excited readers who are proudly keeping up with their resolutions- congratulations to all of you. However, some people have expressed their concern about “failing their resolutions”, particularly with abstaining or decreasing alcohol and other drug use. This is a very difficult thing to do and therefore my focus today will be on how to avoid relapse involving heavy alcohol and other drug use.

For those of you who remained abstinent over the holidays, among all the potential triggers, I hope you have acknowledged what a milestone that is and I urge you to write to me and share your story. On the other spectrum, many of us had a great time

overindulging in these substances over the holidays, so much so that there was an active decision to lower use come January. Additionally, many others have had a problem with overuse for some time and used the New Year as an opportunity for a clean slate. Either way, your ambition, while indeed difficult, is realistic.

If you are in recovery, you must have already identified your triggers which result in your wanting to use substances – these can be people, places or things. The most important thing is to be aware of these triggers and avoid them whenever and wherever possible, especially if you are still unsure of your ability to say no. Remember that even one drink/hit of your drug of choice can result in a relapse.

Cravings are often common and very difficult to deal with but remember the average craving typically only lasts for about 20 minutes. It would be wise to find something consistent to do when these arise – it can be anything from chewing gum to exercising, whatever works for you. This is also where you practise healthy coping skills that I keep talking about come in!

A little tip- eat lots of fruits. Alcohol mostly turns into sugar in the body so many cravings you have may just be for the sugar that your body was used to. Don’t fight the cravings, try to relax and go with the flow. While we can’t always control what happens around or to us- we can definitely control how we react to it.

Remember HALT which is a popular acronym for the most common causes of relapse – Hunger, Anger, Loneliness and Tiredness. Remember to have a healthy and consistent diet, practise those healthy coping skills that have proven to prevent and treat your anger, surround yourself with the loved ones that support you and get your rest! These will all ensure your successful path to recovery.

Have extra support – do you have a support group that you go to? There are many support groups and may even be one in your community – ask around. Below are the ones I usually refer people to.

Brickdam Presbytery (opposite Brickdam church)
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings:
Tuesdays – 19:30 hrs – 21:00hrs
Fridays and Sundays – 18:30hrs – 20:00hrs

Phoenix Recovery Project (located in Mon Repos)
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings
Tuesdays – 18:00hrs-19:30hrs
Cocaine Anonymous
Thursdays- 18:00hrs-19:30hrs
Narcotics Anonymous (any substance)
Sundays- 18:30hrs-20:00hrs

Always remember that your recovery comes first. If there is a lapse, that’s okay – get right back up and begin again. Don’t lose hope as there is a big difference between a lapse and a relapse. A lapse is a one- time slip- one that still allows you to stay on the path of recovery while a relapse occurs when someone completely falls back into the habit of using. Just keep reminding yourself of the reasons you decided to quit in the first place as well as the improvements that have resulted from the abstinence.

Remember the famous saying “One day at a time” as many find it overwhelming to think about the future when it comes to sobriety. Don’t think about being sober for a year. Rather, just think about getting through the day. Once you have done that, you’re ahead of the game. If even this is too overwhelming, just do one hour at a time; one minute even. Every day that you remain sober and content is a good day.

Thank you for reading and please send in any questions, comments or topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com.

Suicide Prevention Helpline – 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!