Relapse Prevention Strategies
At Silver Pines, our facilities provide whole-person, holistic treatment
for alcohol addiction, substance use disorder, and dual diagnosis.
for alcohol addiction, substance use disorder, and dual diagnosis.
Relapse Prevention Stategies
At Silver Pines, our facilities provide whole-person, holistic treatment for alcohol addiction, substance use disorder, and dual diagnosis.
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 trauma history and be an essential 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 some newly sober people have 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 find that talking to a friend or attending group therapy 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 and 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, family members, peers, and therapists, who can be important in 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 to say no to temptations in social settings, which many people find the toughest. 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, staying sober can be challenging when an individual is having difficulty connecting with others.
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 is 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.
To learn more about relapse prevention therapy and relapse prevention strategies at Silver Pines,
contact our team today.