10 Most Common High Risk Situations for Ex-Addicts

Destination Hope, a Florida drug rehab center, constantly strives to educate clients on relapse prevention strategies that will be useful upon graduating from our treatment programs.

While we have found that individuals don’t always encounter the same high-risk situations, but these are the 10 that we have found to be most common, and 10 tips for dealing with them.

Ten Most Common High-Risk Situations for Ex-Addicts

1. Being around people, places, and situations previously associated with your drug and/or alcohol use.
2. Substituting any other mood or mind-altering substances other than “drug of choice.”
3. Feeling bored, lonely, angry, horny or tired and dwelling on past mistakes.
4. Having “euphoric recall” regarding getting high, hearing or telling war stories. Romanticizing the “good times.”
5. Severe stress at home or on the job.
6. Exhaustion or fatigue.
7. Creeping doubts that you have an alcohol/drug problem and believing you can “control” use or have “just one.”
8. Self-pity. Feeling sorry for yourself or getting impatient if things don’t go your way or in accordance to your “time-table.”
9. Continuing other addictive behaviors such as compulsive gambling, compulsive sexuality, overeating, oversleeping, and over-working.
10. Having a lot of cash on hand.

Ten Tips for Dealing with High-Risk Situations

1. Plan ahead. Plan ahead. Plan ahead. Have structure in your life!!!
2. If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, GET OUT! Don’t wait or act helpless. Don’t make excuses for being there. GET OUT!
3. Avoid high-risk places (bars, parties, etc). It’s NOT about “testing” yourself.
4. Avoid people who you used with or who will influence you to use.
5. Talk openly and honestly with others about cravings, etc.
6. Have at least 5 phone numbers of supportive people you can call when confronted with danger.
7. Make sure you have sober support with you when facing unavoidable high-risk situations.
8. Have an escape plan or have alternative activities ready in case plans fall through.
9. Be aware of personal relapse triggers and high-risk situations.
10. Think positively in the face of danger. Go to a meeting!

Destination Hope is a dual diagnosis addiction treatment center for men and women in Florida. We are licensed by the State of Florida and accredited by the Joint Commission. If you or someone you care about is suffering from substance abuse, please call our counselors today. We are here to help!