Drug rehab is an important step in getting help with addiction. Unfortunately, 47% of addicts relapse after treatment. The relapse rate is higher for some drugs than others. Painkillers have a 97% relapse rate. Heroin has an 87% relapse rate, and the rate of relapse for alcohol is 86%. Mental health issues, stress, and a family history of addiction are just a few of the factors that can increase your chance of relapse. However, there are things you can do to help fight the statistics and stay on track with your sobriety. Here are some things you can do to reduce your chances of relapsing after treatment.

Get a Sponsor

The first thing you should do when you arrive home after rehab is find a sponsor. A sponsor is someone who has experience with addiction and recovery. Your sponsor will check on you and basically be your go-to person when you need them. Whether you are sad and want to talk or you are starting to crave your substance, you can call your sponsor any time, day or night. Your sponsor is your lifeline to recovery, so it's important that you find someone you are completely comfortable with. You can meet sponsors at AA or NA meetings.

Inventory People

You need to inventory the people in your life and decide who is a good influence and who is toxic to your new lifestyle. Eliminate anyone who can potentially harm your sobriety. This includes any family members that you have a toxic relationship with or who have a substance abuse problem as well. Your family will always be your family, but it doesn't make you a bad person to separate yourself from certain members. It doesn't have to be forever, but you need to take care of yourself first. Any friends that you bought drugs from or did drugs with or that encouraged your drug use need to be removed from your life as well. Only allow positive, sober influences into your inner-circle.

Don't Date

One of the worst things you can do when you're newly sober is date an addict. In fact, you shouldn't be dating anyone the first year after your addiction recovery. During the first year of recovery, you are learning about who you are. It's an emotional journey that will have many ups and downs. Focusing on someone else will take the attention off of yourself, and you will lose focus on your recovery. You're going to change a lot the first year of your recovery. You might decide you want to live somewhere new and begin a new career. You will find new hobbies, create new goals, and have new dreams. Don't let anyone hold you back from becoming the person you're supposed to come. If you do start dating, don't date a newly recovering addict. If you date within the recovery circle, find someone with a few years of sobriety under their belt. If you date someone who is newly sober, you're increasing your chances of relapse. If one of you relapses, the other might follow suit.

Attend Counseling

Many newly recovering addicts go to meetings like they're supposed to, but they skip the counseling. Recovering from addiction isn't just about dealing with the drugs. It's about dealing with the reasons why you turned to drugs in the first place. A professional counselor can help you unmask deep-seeded issues that caused you to self-medicate. Even if you already know why, the counselor will give you the tools to deal with these issues so you can be successful in your sobriety.

Your sobriety is the most important thing in your life and needs to be your number one focus. Make sure you follow these tips to reduce your chances of relapsing after treatment. For more information, contact local rehab facilities or visit sites like http://www.olalla.org.