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Silver Pines and Steps to Recovery have provided addiction recovery programs in Pennsylvania for over a decade with detox, residential, outpatient, and sober living services. Last year, we expanded our services to include robust mental health services, new locations, and specialized services for our nation’s veterans with more to come this year! We are visually recognizing our growth with a unified look that better reflects who we are today and the passion we have for helping everyone with their addiction and mental health recovery journeys.

Relapse Prevention Tips

Relapse Prevention Tips

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Relapse Prevention Strategies

As many as half of all people who complete addiction treatment eventually relapse. The highest chance of relapse is within the first month of independent recovery. Since relapse is the biggest threat to addiction recovery, it’s vital to work on preventing relapse during addiction treatment. At Silver Pines, we acknowledge this risk and prepare clients by providing them with relapse prevention therapy which includes creating a relapse prevention plan, training, and education on relapse prevention tips.

Preventing Relapse From A Drug or Alcohol Addiction

One of the biggest reasons people relapse is that they only break their physical addiction. To truly recover and find sobriety that lasts a lifetime, individuals must also look at the root of their addiction issues. At Silver Pines, recovery includes relapse prevention therapy which involves addressing related mental health concerns.
In some cases, mental illness may be the root cause of addiction so it’s critical to address, understand, and resolve these illnesses. Only then can clients begin meaningful recovery from addiction. Other clients may benefit from trauma therapy, which can resolve a trauma history and be an important part of relapse prevention in addiction recovery.

Healthy Ways to Manage Stress

People often turn to substances to manage stress. Even someone without a substance abuse problem may reach for a glass of wine after a tough day. The problem is that for some newly sober people, they’ve lost their means of stress relief. Relapse prevention strategies should include a plan for healthy stress management.
Learning how to manage stress is a big part of our relapse prevention program. Some people find that talking to a friend or attending a group therapy session relieves stress. For others, it includes keeping busy and staying active. Stress relief can begin during treatment, especially if clients have access to recreational activities like gardening, yoga therapy, outdoor activities, social activities, and exercise like what we offer at Silver Pines.

Building a Support Network for Ongoing Recovery

A relapse prevention plan should include the important step of building a supportive network. Silver Pines’ substance abuse relapse prevention involves holding clients accountable as well as supporting them throughout treatment. When an individual moves from this structured environment to living independently, they lose significant support and may not be held accountable by someone in their life. Fortunately, clients can be proactive and build that support network during residential addiction treatment. During treatment at Silver Pines, our team helps each client build their support network. This can include close friends and family members as well as peers and therapists who can be important parts of preventing relapse.

Relapse Prevention Tips for Social Settings

Part of our relapse prevention program involves relapse prevention therapy which includes teaching clients how to avoid peer pressure. They also learn how to say no to temptations in social settings, which many people find the toughest of all. In a group setting, clients can practice the responses they’ll use when others offer them drugs or alcohol in the future. This might sound simple, but just saying the words out loud can give individuals the confidence to move forward.

Warning Signs of A Relapse

Even after successfully completing a residential treatment program, relapse can only be prevented by understanding your triggers. The part of the brain that addiction affects is responsible for many different thought processes including:

  • Logical decision making
  • Self-awareness
  • Empathy
  • Connecting with others

When these thought processes are affected, it can be dangerous. Without self-awareness and the ability to make decisions, an individual is at a greater risk of relapsing. Additionally, when an individual is having difficulty connecting with others, staying sober can be a challenge.
In the case of many people who relapse, the process begins months, weeks, or even days before the relapse. Being mindful and aware of the signs of relapse can help an individual prevent relapsing again. Warning signs of a relapse vary by individual, but some can include:

  • Depression
  • Isolating from support groups
  • Lying
  • Romanticizing drinking alcohol or using drugs

Learning relapse prevention tips and techniques are vital to help individuals struggling in recovery. This is why relapse prevention treatment that includes creating a relapse prevention plan should be a part of addiction treatment.

Relapse Prevention Treatment at Silver Pines

At Silver Pines, we not only teach individuals relapse prevention techniques, but we also incorporate holistic therapies, evidence-based methods, and experiential treatment to provide the best chance at long-term recovery. We offer alcohol detox and drug detox followed by residential addiction treatment.

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To learn more about relapse prevention therapy and relapse prevention strategies at Silver Pines, contact our team today at

855.774.6999
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