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Alcohol and Drug Relapse Prevention

A quality alcohol and drug addiction treatment program will always contain a comprehensive alcohol relapse prevention component. Getting sober is only a small part of the battle that must be fought against addiction.  Staying sober requires constant vigilance and appropriate, long-term care.

If you have suffered multiple relapses or a severe alcohol or drug relapse, let the Recovery Connection coordinators help you find a quality, comprehensive treatment program. Call 1-800-993-3869, and stop the cycle of alcohol and drug relapses. All calls are confidential, and staff can be reached 24/7.

What is Relapse Prevention

Alcoholism or drug addiction left untreated will destroy a person's health, personal relationships, financial security, and career. Overcoming alcoholism and drug addiction requires specific addiction treatment. Alcohol and drug addiction treatment without a drug and alcohol relapse prevention plan is not likely to be effective.

Alcohol and drug relapse programs give you the tools to handle triggers, daily stressors, or anxiety. An alcoholic or addict who has ceased drinking and/or using drugs and suddenly picks up a drink or drug again is in the midst of a relapse. However, relapse behaviors will emerge, even before a drink is consumed. The severity of the alcohol or drug relapse is dependent upon the person, the amount of time spent drinking or using drugs during the relapse, and the quantities of substances consumed.  The severity of a drug relapse or alcohol relapse is likely to be decreased in those with a strong recovering support network.

Alcohol and drug relapse programs give you the tools to handle triggers, daily stressors, or anxiety. An alcoholic or addict who has ceased drinking and/or using drugs and suddenly picks up a drink or drug again is in the midst of a relapse.

A variety of therapies provide the addict with self-reflective skills to avoid relapsing. Group and individual therapy, family therapy, and addiction education are a few treatment components that help addicts develop new strategies to cope. Alcohol and drug relapse prevention programs are essential to addiction treatment. Research illustrates that the ability for both drug addicts and alcoholics to avoid relapse is strengthened with the skills learned in relapse prevention programs, as well as a healthy, supportive social circle, including family, friends, and others who are in recovery.

If you are looking to sustain your recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction, choose an alcohol rehab or drug detox that includes a comprehensive drug and alcohol relapse prevention program. Alcohol and drug relapse can occur if you are not properly prepared.

Warning Signs of Relapse

Generally, there are advanced warning signs that an alcoholic or a person addicted to drugs is in danger of a relapse. The warning signs are sometimes blatant and other times subtle. They can include:

  • A negative shift in perspectives
  • A halt in engagement in healthy activities
  • Personal interaction with others is progressively more limited
  • Attendance at support groups stops or decreases
  • Sharing personal feelings and thoughts with others ceases
  • Obsessive thinking relating to alcohol or drug use increases
  • Resisting communication about problems
  • Discontinuing prescribed medication on one's own
  • Starting to hang out with old friends
  • Starting to hang out at old places
  • Discontinuing the aftercare plan designed for you in treatment
  • Dishonesty surfaces

Alcoholism, Drug Treatment and Relapse Prevention

Alcoholism and drug addiction are progressive diseases and their hold on the body is extremely powerful. Once a person completes alcohol or drug detox and alcohol or drug rehabilitation, the work does not end. An individual who has suffered from alcoholism and/or drug addiction requires life-long vigilance to remain sober. Fortunately, with the right education, a quality alcohol and drug rehab, and a relapse prevention program, life-long sobriety is attainable.

Alcohol and drug addiction treatment programs introduce you to the concept of alcoholism and addiction as a disease of the brain and the body. Relapse prevention programs clarify the dynamic relationship between alcohol and drugs and the body's physiological functions and emotional states that lead to relapse. Understanding the signs of relapse gives you an opportunity to stop it.

Remember, people do not have to experience a relapse, but it does happen. After alcohol and drug rehab, an individual may reunite with home too quickly, return immediately to familiar settings, hang out with friends who use drugs or alcohol, or participate in addictive behavioral patterns. Oftentimes, people will go to a halfway house or sober house immediately following treatment in order to avoid being in dangerous situations.

Alcoholism and drug addiction treatment also provides you with the opportunity to seriously examine misconceptions about yourself, increases your ability to make healthy, life- affirming decisions, and examines your rationale for drinking or using drugs. Relapse prevention programs are crucial building blocks to a lasting foundation for recovery.

Quality alcohol and drug relapse programs give you the strategies to manage life’s challenges and the myriad feelings one experiences after completing alcohol and drug rehab. All addiction treatment should be individualized to address each patient's needs. Therapists versed in drug and alcohol relapse prevention techniques can provide you with the best coping strategies. Addiction treatment should be provided by certified addiction professionals in a licensed and accredited alcohol and drug addiction treatment center.

You thought you understood what it meant to live a life free of drugs and alcohol. But, life intruded and you find yourself using again. You don’t have to continue the craziness. Call 1-800-993-3869 now and speak with recovering addict who can help you find the treatment program for you now. Don’t let you negative self-talk destroy your life. Relapse doesn’t have to be a permanent state. Call now and start living clean and sober again.

What is a Relapse Prevention Plan?

Relapse prevention plans to teach an addict the skills required to handle triggers, daily stress, and uncomfortable emotions in a way that fosters healthy growth and provides safety in special circumstances. A good relapse prevention plan will be comprehensive.  It will include an aftercare plan, coping strategies to deal with life stressors, emotions, and social circumstances, vocational guidance, and healthy leisure activities. 

In the aftercare plan, a carefully prescribed program of medical and psychiatric services, counseling, and self-help programs will be formulated.  A strong aftercare plan will also include housing options.  A safety plan should also be part of a comprehensive relapse prevention plan.  A safety plan includes day-to-day or even minute-to-minute instructions to the recovering addict or alcoholic on the steps to take when certain circumstances or feelings arise.  Recovery is not meant to be rigid, but to have a foundation of balance.  Thus, the relapse prevention plan should be altered during the course of recovery to fit one's current needs.  These alterations are best done by the drug addict or alcoholic in conjunction with a sponsor, physicians, and counselors.  It can mean the difference between continued recovery and returning to a life of drug use.

Individualized relapse prevention plans designed by certified addiction professionals can help:

  • Identify triggers
  • Establish healthy boundaries
  • Avoid people, places, and things associated with drug use
  • Structure daily exercise and healthy eating

Alcohol and Drug Relapse Prevention is Essential for Long-Term Sobriety

Drug Relapse is not necessarily a sign of failure. Setbacks can happen. It is estimated that almost two-thirds of those recovering from alcoholism or drug addiction will relapse. But, it has also been shown that one-half of those experiencing a relapse will eventually manage to enjoy long term recovery.

Alternatively, there are those who relapse and have severe negative outcomes such as social or legal issues, medical issues or even death. Thus, relapse is to be prevented above and beyond everything else in one's life. It is said in Alcoholics Anonymous, a 12 Step program, that whatever one places before recovery will either never be gained or will be lost.

Oftentimes, a relapse is most effectively managed in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. Within the confines of an alcohol and drug rehab, you will be able to address underlying issues of the relapse. This translates into a better chance to enjoy long term sobriety. The structure, supervision, and support in rehab are necessary components of allowing oneself to heal from the guilt and shame that are associated with a relapse.

A medically supervised alcohol and drug detox program immediately followed by an inpatient alcohol and drug addiction treatment program can create a solid foundation for ongoing recovery. This allows the patient a chance to recover and examine the reasons for the relapse as well as learn and apply new coping skills.



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