An MDMA addiction commonly affects both a person’s mind and body. To maintain sobriety and avoid relapse, one must put forth constant effort and determination. Fortunately, lasting sobriety is possible with the help of several proven strategies and services.
What is MDMA? How Does it Affect a Person?
MDMA is a synthetic drug that serves as a stimulant and a hallucinogen. When ingested, MDMA gives its user a boost of energy, distorts their perception, and enhances sensory experiences. However, the effects of MDMA can vary based on the form and any other substances that it may or may not be mixed with.
Aside from the immediate effects of the high, MDMA can have several negative effects on a person’s mind and body. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the short-term effects of an MDMA addiction can include loss of appetite, depersonalization, disorganized thoughts, nausea, hot flashes, chills, headache, and muscle or joint stiffness. The more serious, long-term effects of an MDMA addiction can include high blood pressure, panic attacks, seizures, issues with concentrating, depression, impulsivity, and heart disease.
5 Ways to Prevent MDMA Relapse
Avoiding the negative effects of an MDMA addiction is possible through recovery. However, maintaining one’s sobriety can be difficult. To prevent an MDMA relapse, one should consider using the following tips:
1. Acknowledge, Anticipate, and Avoid Triggers
The first way a person can prevent an MDMA relapse is through acknowledging, anticipating, and avoiding their triggers as much as possible. This process begins through therapy and self-reflection. An individual must work to discover what triggers their desire for drug use and how to cope with that trigger. By coping and avoiding triggers, a person can more successfully prevent an MDMA relapse.
2. Create a Reliable Support System
Another proven way to prevent a relapse is by creating a reliable support system. A person with an MDMA addiction should surround themselves with people who prioritize their wellbeing, especially their sobriety. Members of this support system can and often include friends, family, members of therapy groups, and addiction counselors or therapists. These people should be used in times of crisis or when triggered to provide support. In doing so, they can help a person maintain their sobriety and mental health.
3. Utilize Addiction Counseling
One of the most important members of a person’s support system is an addiction counselor or therapist. Mental health professionals who specialize in addiction can often help individuals with an MDMA addiction to discover their triggers and explore strategies for coping. They can also provide a number of other mental health services and assistance that a person may need.
4. Find New and Healthy Hobbies
For many with an addiction, drug abuse can take up a significant portion of their time before becoming sober. One of the troubles newly sober individuals will often run into is how to spend their freetime. To avoid relapse, it is best for sober individuals to find and commit to new, healthy hobbies. Healthy hobbies can provide one with a distraction and even improve their mental health.
5. Take Advantage of Aftercare Services
Staying sober is hard work. Fortunately, many treatment programs and facilities make it easier with aftercare services. These services help to support sober individuals to avoid a relapse of any kind. Aftercare services often include recovery meetings, therapy sessions, meetings with sponsors, and more.
Lifelong Sobriety is Possible!
An MDMA addiction can rearrange a person’s life and have serious effects on their mental and physical health. However, lifelong sobriety is possible and attainable through treatment and relapse prevention. To prevent an MDMA relapse, a person should acknowledge, anticipate, and avoid their triggers, create and lean on a support system, take advantage of counseling, find healthy hobbies, and utilize any available aftercare services in their area.
For more information on MDMA addiction, relapse prevention, and aftercare services, contact Asheville Recovery Center today! Our team of addiction specialists can answer any question you may have and find a treatment plan that works for you or your loved one.
