Relapse Addiction Prevention Programs

Causes of Relapse in Late-Stage Recovery

In late-stage recovery, individuals face unique risks of relapse that are less common in the early stages. Clinical experience highlights the following causes of relapse in this growth stage:

• Desire to Move On: Individuals often wish to forget their addiction, feeling they have lost significant time to it. They reduce their attendance at recovery meetings, wanting to leave addiction behind.
• Neglecting Self-Care: As life improves, there is a tendency to focus less on self-care. Individuals take on more responsibilities to compensate for lost time, trying to revert to their old lives without substance use. This often leads to abandoning healthy habits that support their recovery.
• Decreased Meeting Attendance: Feeling they no longer learn anything new, individuals attend self-help meetings less frequently. They need to remember that these meetings reinforce the recognition of the "voice of addiction," which can be easily forgotten.
• Embarrassment Over Basics: Some feel they should be beyond the basics of recovery, finding it almost embarrassing to discuss fundamental issues. They may be reluctant to admit occasional cravings or doubts about their addiction.
• Overconfidence in Control: Believing they have a better understanding of drugs and alcohol, some think they can control a relapse or avoid negative consequences, underestimating the risks.

Drug Relapse Prevention Program at Banyan

It’s easy to stick with your recovery plan when you’re under the watchful guidance of our team, but what happens after rehab? Our goal at Banyan Treatment Center is not only to help patients recover from substance abuse but also to teach them how to prevent drug addiction relapse in rehab programs.

We know that whether you’ve been sober for a week or a year, temptation is lurking around every corner. It’s even normal in recovery. There are ways to avoid this temptation and to manage it appropriately when it presents itself. Addiction recovery isn’t a matter of testing your strength but rather about developing self-awareness and understanding what your triggers or temptations are. This is exactly what we focus on in our relapse prevention program. We teach our patients that feeling tempted to use or drink again isn’t a sign of weakness but rather a normal challenge of recovery that they will often face. We also impress on them that although relapse isn’t a failure, there’s so much they can do to actively stay focused on their recovery goals and avoid falling back into their old habits.

Protecting Your Sobriety from a Relapse

What are some ways that I can protect myself from relapse? One of the main things you can do to protect yourself from drug treatment relapse is to choose the right treatment. For example, long-term drug treatment against drugs and alcohol is much more effective at preventing relapse than short-term treatment. A course of 90 days in a drug treatment center can reduce the risk of relapse by up to 73% versus a 30-day stay.

The type of treatment itself can be highly effective in the avoidance of relapsing. For example, relapse prevention drug treatment can help you keep a positive mindset in order to prevent falling back into substance abuse or using drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Focus on your progress and where you’re going—recovery! Don’t dwell on any relapse as a failure. Instead, look ahead and keep moving toward the goal.

Relapse Prevention Planning

The first steps are realization, stepping forth from denial, and seeking treatment. After treatment, the work doesn’t stop. Working with an experienced professional to design a relapse prevention plan is crucial before jumping back into responsibilities and life orders. At Banyan, specialists will go over a plan that works to keep your mental wellness, physical and emotional health, and social state in tip-top condition. But the continuance of sobriety initially is carried out by you after treatment, although support and guidance are available.

Unfortunately, relapse is an ever-present threat for anyone recovering from addiction or alcoholism. It can surface years after people have gained sobriety, often with little to no warning. After all, addiction is a compulsive disease that manipulates the mind, causing a chemical imbalance. But you can minimize your chances of relapse by choosing the right forms of drug treatment and with the proper planning.

You can stay protected from relapse by:

• Staying positive
• Avoid trigger situations
• Focusing on progress and your goal
• Meditate or find holistic approaches
• Develop a positive support system
• Communicate your cravings
• Stick to a healthy schedule
• Don’t blame yourself
• Make wise choices when it comes to drug treatment

If you are on the verge of relapse, communication is vital. Speak to your support group or join a sober support group. Group therapy is offered at Banyan to help patients stay on track, along with our alumni program. Avoid relapse at all costs, but if you happen to fall back, keep a positive outlook and remember that you have control over the substance.