Relapse Prevention Therapy
One of the most crucial steps in recovery is what happens after you complete an addiction treatment program. You may feel confident about a drug or alcohol-free lifestyle while in treatment, but refraining from drug or alcohol use in the “real world” can be a challenging obstacle to overcome. Unfortunately, some people succumb to the pressure and suffer a relapse. A relapse is defined as falling back into old patterns of behavior. In this context, relapse means reverting back to drug or alcohol abuse.
At Alina Lodge in New Jersey, our relapse prevention therapy program is an essential component of addiction recovery. It is crucial for people who have completed addiction treatment to be ready to face the daunting task of remaining drug and alcohol-free. If you are determined to remain sober, our relapse prevention therapy program can give you the skills and strategies to continue your recovery for years to come. Reach out to our admissions team to learn more about our therapy programs in Blairstown, New Jersey.
What Causes a Relapse?
Relapse doesn’t happen overnight. It may take root weeks or months before an actual relapse event occurs. Relapse usually occurs in one of three phases: emotional relapse, mental relapse, or physical relapse. If you recently completed an addiction treatment program and want to continue your recovery, it is helpful to be able to recognize warning signs of relapse. Or, you may have a loved one in your life who has finished addiction treatment, and you want to help them maintain their recovery. In either case, knowing the signs of an imminent relapse can help to prevent it from happening.
Emotional Relapse
Emotional relapse is defined by a lack of self-care. This type of relapse usually occurs before someone starts thinking about using again. Signs that someone may be experiencing emotional relapse include:
- Anxiety
- Isolation
- Sudden bursts of anger
- Not participating in ongoing addiction treatment
- Poor eating or sleeping habits
Mental Relapse
Mental relapse is defined by an internal struggle. People who are enduring this stage of relapse may partially want to use their drug of choice but are trying to maintain their recovery. Mental relapse signs exist in the mind of the addicted person, so it is essential to be self-aware enough to identify these signs on your own. Signs of a potential mental relapse may be:
- Thinking about people you used to use drugs or alcohol with
- Visiting places that remind you of when you used
- Glamorizing past use
- Believing that you can use just once
- Planning a relapse
Physical Relapse
This stage is when people fall back into old behavior patterns and actually begin to abuse drugs or alcohol again. There are no signs of a physical relapse other than typical indications of drug or alcohol use. Physical relapse can be devastating for people who have worked hard in addiction treatment.
At Alina Lodge, our treatment team understands that relapse is simply a part of the recovery process. It is critical for you to remember that relapse isn’t a failure; it just means that you need to recommit to addiction treatment. As part of our addiction treatment, we include relapse prevention therapy.
What Is Relapse Prevention Therapy?
The relapse prevention therapy program at Alina Lodge is designed to teach skills and strategies that people can use in their daily lives to avoid relapse. We help people to identify their triggers and then develop plans to avoid these triggers altogether. Also, our relapse prevention therapy program helps people find sober living accommodations, which can be instrumental in keeping people away from relapse. Sober living allows you to live with people who are also in recovery so that everyone is working towards the same goal. You will collaborate with our team to create relapse prevention measures that will be effective for your recovery.
Avoid Future Relapses with Our Prevention Therapy
At Alina Lodge, we want to prepare you for success in recovery, not failure. Our relapse prevention therapy program gives you the tools that you may need to maintain your addiction recovery long after you’ve left our doors. If you are curious about how relapse prevention therapy works, reach out to our friendly team today by calling 800.575.6343 or completing our confidential online form.
