Relapse Prevention

Risks of Relapse

The risk of relapse for someone recovering from substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder can be significant for a long time. The recovery process is long and requires personal growth that doesn’t always happen on schedule, which can delay recovery milestones. No matter what stage of the recovery the individual is in, there will always be the risk of relapse, which is why having a relapse prevention plan is one of the most important steps to preventing relapse.

Some common triggers and risks of relapse include:

• Boredom
• Increased levels of stress
• Financial difficulties or problems
• Problems in personal or professional relationships
• Associating with friends that still use alcohol or drugs
• Falling into old habits of use
• Anger or depression
• Coming across certain sights, sounds, or smells
• Seeing certain people, places, or things

Since the risk of relapse is so significant, one of the most common components of any drug or alcohol addiction curricula is education on relapse prevention and how to deal with potential triggers or cravings when they inevitably come up. To do this, patients are taught various relapse prevention tools and can incorporate those tools into their daily routine. 

Relapses are more common than many people think, and there is also a strong connection between someone’s challenges and their corresponding drug use. Ongoing problems in one area of a person’s life can cause ongoing issues at work, or with their general psychological or emotional health. Other problems, like financial difficulties and social rejection, can also cause strife in the psyche of someone in recovery, which can lead to relapse.

The process of recovery is highly personal, just like the drug use that caused the need for recovery. As such a personal ordeal, the individual as well as those close to them may view a relapse as a failure of some sort, but this isn’t the case. A relapse isn’t a sign that the patient is failing or even that their recovery is unsuccessful. 

Some of the biggest causes of relapses can include:

• Situations that give the individual the temptation to use or to go back to their previous habits, such as picking up old habits that were often done in conjunction with the substance use.
• The occurrence of situations that previously triggered substance use such as professional demotion, financial insecurity, housing or food insecurity, or social pressures.
• Co-occurring disorders can be one of the most consistent factors that lead to relapse, and unaddressed mental illness can prevent recovery entirely.
• Pre-existing health issues can be a challenge to sobriety in many situations, and poor physical health, as well as chronic pain, can contribute to substance use problems.
• Having a lapse can also fuel a more serious relapse, and the guilt someone feels from a lapse can often be a factor that contributes to the relapse scenario. This can lead to a serious situation where self-blame and guilt reinforce the substance use to cope and result in more dangerous addictions. 

Methods Used to Prevent Relapse

There are many ways that someone in recovery can lower their risk of relapse. Some of the most effective include:

• Self-care: One of the best ways to combat post-acute withdrawal symptoms is by boosting self-care. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and scheduling exercise can all be great ways to perform self-care.

• Mindfulness meditation: Being more mindful is a great way to be more self-aware and build better coping mechanisms for fighting triggers. This can help the individual handle any cravings that do resurface in the post-acute stage.

• Know your triggers: Being able to recognize what puts your recovery in danger is one of the most powerful ways you can protect it. Make a physical list of all your internal and external triggers.

Agape Treatment Center’s Relapse Prevention Programs

If you or someone you know has battled substance abuse and may be in danger of relapsing, or if you just want to make sure you have all the benefits of a professional relapse prevention program, reach out to Agape today. Not only will the treatment plan be tailored to the individual, but the ratio of counselors to patients is low enough that each patient gets the attention they need to solidify an effective recovery.