Author: Alex Thompson
Focus: Addiction: Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery PMC
It can also result in intense cravings that then continue to further use. After a relapse, getting back on track as soon as possible is important. A relapse is the worsening of a medical condition that had previously improved. When it comes to addiction, it refers to a person engaging in addictive behavior after a period of abstinence. Outpatient services include intensive therapy, where clients attend meetings and counselling sessions. Often, the clients are tested once or twice a week to ensure that they’re maintaining their sobriety.
Clinical experience has shown that recovering individuals are often in a rush to skip past these tasks and get on with what they think are the real issues of recovery. Clients need to be reminded that lack of self-care is what got them here and that continued lack of self-care will lead back to relapse. As individuals go deeper into mental relapse, their cognitive resistance to relapse diminishes and their need for escape increases. But their emotions and behaviors are setting them up for relapse down the road. Because clients are not consciously thinking about using during this stage, denial is a big part of emotional relapse.
- Recognizing these emotions can help you seek other therapy or a recovery meeting if necessary.
- Relapse prevention is an umbrella term that refers to strategies that help reduce the likelihood of relapsing.
- Grounding techniques help you stay calm, destress, and reduce anxiety.
- Every country, every town, and almost every cruise ship has a 12-step meeting.
Dealing with the pain in a healthy manner can make it easier for the client to choose other ways of working through emotional situations without using. Lifestyle changes typically include removing the triggers that cause substance abuse. With different surroundings and different influencers, it’s easier to make better choices.
Cognitive therapy
The cognitive challenge is to indicate that negative feelings are not signs of failure, but a normal part of life and opportunities for growth. Helping clients feel comfortable with being uncomfortable can reduce their need to escape into addiction. Cognitive therapy is one of the main tools for changing people’s negative thinking and developing healthy coping skills [9,10]. The effectiveness of cognitive therapy in relapse prevention has been confirmed in numerous studies [11]. Many relapse prevention strategies stress the importance of honesty. This includes the addicted individual being honest with others around them, letting people know when they feel triggered or stressed or are thinking about drinking or using drugs.
Relaxing and taking time to do things that make you happy is another important part of self-care. Acknowledge that recovery is a difficult process and you’re doing the best you can. When the urge to use hits, remind yourself why you started down the path to recovery in the first place. Think about how out of control or sick you felt when you were using. Remember the embarrassing things you may have done or the people you may have hurt.
They might abandon their efforts, feeling that quitting is too difficult for them. Even some treatment programs take a hard line on participants who relapse. Regular exercise is shown to boost feelings of well-being and help decrease stress, both of which may make it easier for clients to stick to their RPP. Typically, a healthy diet can also help the client feel good about taking care of themselves. Cooking healthy food from scratch instead of eating junk or take-away may also help fill the client’s sober time.
The components you acknowledged in your plan at the beginning of your recovery have the potential to change and develop over time, as do the people in your support system. This can be done on your own or by sitting down with a professional. Each individual’s needs will vary, so it is important to assess where you are in your recovery and to be honest with yourself. While you can create a relapse prevention plan on your own, it may be helpful to walk through the process with someone who has knowledge of the topic like a substance abuse counselor.
The Possibility of a Relapse
Substance abuse and mental health expert Terry Gorski has a nine-step relapse prevention plan that can help you recognize and manage relapse warning signs. Alan Marlatt, PhD, developed an approach that uses mental, behavioral, and lifestyle choices to prevent relapse. When individuals continue to refer to their using days as “fun,” they continue to downplay the negative consequences of addiction. Expectancy theory has shown that when people expect to have fun, they usually do, and when they expect that something will not be fun, it usually isn’t [15]. In the early stages of substance abuse, using is mostly a positive experience for those who are emotionally and genetically predisposed. Later, when using turns into a negative experience, they often continue to expect it to be positive.
At this point, those in treatment should remember that they’re anxious and need to practice relaxation techniques. If eating and sleeping habits are slipping, they should redirect and practice physical self-care. It’s more challenging to resist temptation when one is hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Relapse prevention plans at this stage of recovery include focusing on positive behaviours and self-care. It involves taking the time to tend to your mental and physical health, such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, and exercising regularly.
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That way, you can explore new behaviors and thought patterns to help you stay clean. Many triggers can come from environmental, mental, and emotional sources. Knowing and understanding them can help you avoid relapses during recovery. Relapse prevention is one of the main goals of drug or alcohol treatment programs. When you become addicted to a substance, your brain functions change, making it challenging to overcome your condition. Despite its importance, self-care is one of the most overlooked aspects of recovery.
CBT is a form of psychotherapy that helps identify negative thoughts that lead to substance abuse. CBT effectively reduces the risk of relapse and is an integral component of the recovery process. They can help identify and treat any underlying issues that could increase your risk of relapse. They also provide counseling services to teach healthier coping strategies for stress and negative emotions. Relapse prevention focuses on building the awareness necessary to recognize the early stages of relapse.
Relapse Prevention Therapy (RPT)
Support and connections with other individuals who are battling addiction are essential in all phases of recovery. Also, many people can spot relapse behaviours in others and can be a valuable tool to help those struggling with relapse. Spending a little extra money on artisanal soft drinks or making lemonade from scratch give many clients something that tastes good and still feels like a special treat. Leaving the event early can help, as over time, the urge to use may become stronger.
As clients feel more comfortable, they may choose to expand the size of their circle. But clients and families often begin recovery by hoping that they don’t have to change. They often enter treatment saying, “We want our old life back — without the using.” I try to help clients understand that wishing for their old life back is like wishing for relapse. Rather than seeing the need for change as a negative, they are encouraged to see recovery as an opportunity for change. If they make the necessary changes, they can go forward and be happier than they were before.
This plan might include asking your therapist for an emergency therapy session, visiting the emergency room, or enrolling in inpatient treatment again. Everyone will have different emotions that cause their substance use. Ask your therapist for additional guidance if you need help identifying these emotions. Recognizing these emotions can help you seek other therapy or a recovery meeting if necessary.