What Happens During Emotional Relapse?

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Recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) involves emotional highs and lows that can fluctuate based on many factors. You might experience emotional relapse or other challenges. Treatment programs keep you on track if you encounter emotional setbacks during recovery. We provide clients with all the support they need to ensure their mental, physical, and emotional well-being throughout recovery. You can rely on the care team at Newport Beach Recovery Center to help you remain motivated and move forward. Avoid emotional relapse by attending a program that fits your needs and provides essential coping skills.

What Is Emotional Relapse?

Emotional relapse is a slow process and can start with an increase in negativity or a growing ambivalence toward treatment. A deteriorating emotional state can sometimes make you vulnerable to physical relapse or a return to maladaptive behaviors. The early stages of relapse are easiest to counter using coping skills. Symptoms of emotional relapse feel like post-acute withdrawal and include changes in mood, increased negativity, and feeling unmotivated.

Emotional relapse makes it more difficult to actively participate in recovery by doing the following:

  • Decreasing mental focus and energy
  • Reducing feelings of self-confidence and self-efficacy
  • Making it harder to overcome obstacles

In most cases, emotional relapse happens when an individual does not follow through with using coping tools. The skills you learn during rehabilitation will help you identify and resolve emotional issues. You can easily overcome emotional relapse if you use recovery resources to find healthy ways to cope with negative emotions. However, if you avoid taking action when you notice warning signs of emotional relapse, symptoms of SUD can worsen.

Why Does Your Emotional State Impact Treatment?

Emotions directly affect physical and mental health. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), emotional wellness impacts your ability to cope with stress. In turn, “How you feel can affect your ability to carry out everyday activities, your relationships, and your overall mental health.†In addition, emotions can affect your physical well-being.

Your emotional state will determine the following:

  • How you interact with others
  • Your motivation level
  • How you feel about yourself and your recovery

Treatment focuses on ensuring you have the skills and tools you need to live a healthy and productive life. It can be difficult to concentrate on healing if you feel negative about yourself or your recovery.

Who Is at Risk of Emotional Relapse?

Anyone who lacks a support system or experiences severe withdrawal symptoms has a higher risk of emotional relapse. In addition, if you notice yourself beginning to feel more anxious, depressed, or negative, you should focus on emotional healing. The following factors increase the risk of emotional relapse:

  • Lack of coping skills
  • Not actively participating in recovery treatment
  • Co-occurring mental health disorders

What Are the Signs of Emotional Relapse?

Learning to recognize the signs of emotional relapse will help you avoid physical relapse or other recovery complications. Some of the most common signs of emotional relapse include:

  • Depressive symptoms
  • Decreased motivation
  • Anxiety or panic
  • Unusual mood swings
  • Anger issues or unusual irritation
  • Changes in sleep and appetite
  • Behavioral changes
  • Feeling isolated or lonely
  • Increased negativity

Once you know what to look for, you can monitor your emotional health for indications of returning maladaptive behaviors. According to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, “denial is a big part of emotional relapse.†By monitoring your emotions and taking steps to remain positive, you can avoid falling into the trap of denial about any potential warning signs.

3 Ways to Avoid Emotional Relapse During Recovery

Finding coping methods that work for you and your lifestyle is part of the recovery process. Below are a few ways to use the tools you learn during rehabilitation to avoid emotional relapse.

#1 Monitor Your Emotional Responses

At Newport Beach Recovery Center, we help clients improve emotion regulation and processing to decrease ambivalence or negativity. Monitoring your emotional state is an essential part of avoiding emotional relapse. If your thoughts turn pessimistic or disinterested in recovery, you can apply the coping techniques you learned in therapy.

#2 Maintain Your Treatment and Recovery Schedule

You may find it challenging to maintain your treatment and recovery schedule after completing rehabilitation. Transitioning to aftercare or returning home after residential treatment can feel destabilizing for some people. Avoid emotional relapse by regularly attending therapy, support group meetings, and other forms of treatment. Follow through with your aftercare plan to limit the emotional distress caused by the transition out of structured treatment.

#3 Rely on Your Support System

Your support system keeps you motivated and moving forward during challenging moments in recovery. If you feel anxious, depressed, or uncertain, reach out to them. Relying on your support system is an essential part of successful long-term sobriety. You should feel comfortable contacting the following people if you feel emotional distress:

  • Therapist
  • Case manager
  • Mentor or sponsor
  • Close family and friends

Recovery from substance misuse involves good and bad days. If you find yourself feeling depressed, anxious, or ambivalent about your recovery, then you may have a higher risk of relapse. The process is often gradual, and most people do not realize the dangers of emotional relapse. Reach out to someone in your support system if you feel uncertain about treatment and recovery or your ability to cope. You can easily overcome emotional relapse if you take action as soon as you notice the signs. Treating the symptoms of emotional relapse will protect you from physical relapse. To learn more about how we can help, call Newport Beach Recovery Center today at (888) 850-0363.

Identifying Common Warning Signs of Addiction and Potential Relapse

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Recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) is a process; setbacks can happen even with relapse prevention strategies. Families with loved ones recovering from SUD might worry that they will return to old behaviors if they experience high-stress levels. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Relapse rates for drug use are similar to rates for other chronic medical illnesses.” NIDA shows that, though it’s not ideal, relapse is a natural part of SUD.

Newport Beach Recovery Center provides alumni and family support services, referrals, and other resources to help individuals and their families during recovery. We also encourage alumni to return for treatment if they experience emotional or mental relapse. Our team can help you avoid a physical relapse by giving you the support you need to get through a difficult time.

Dangers of Relapse During Aftercare

Individuals transitioning from treatment to aftercare have to cope with many changes in a very short time. For some people, this can trigger intense cravings and intrusive thoughts about abusing substances. Relapse is different for everyone. However, it usually starts slowly and begins with a return of maladaptive thought patterns.

The dangers of relapse include:

  • Illness, injury, or death
  • Increased symptoms
  • Higher risk of developing co-occurring mental health disorders
  • Damage to personal and professional relationships
  • Legal or financial difficulties

Relapse often takes the form of repeated instances of substance abuse. After even a short period of abstinence, your body may no longer be capable of withstanding the same level of substance potency. Individuals who relapse during aftercare have a very high risk of accidental overdose.

Warning Signs of Relapse

Relapse usually takes place gradually as a person slowly disconnects from their recovery. Stress and unaddressed ambivalence can contribute to the sense of futility some people experience during early recovery. Rehabilitation is not easy. The process requires dedication, hard work, and a desire to change. If you feel like nothing matters and have difficulty motivating yourself, then you may be experiencing a mental relapse. The following are potential warning signs:

  • Loss of motivation
  • Increased symptoms of anxiety or depression
  • Decreased interest in aftercare, therapy, or group meetings
  • Missing multiple individual therapy sessions or support group meetings
  • Having difficulty coping with stress at home, work, or school

Everyone reacts differently to stress, and some people may not exhibit many outward signs of potential relapse. Instead, they may feel internally disconnected from the recovery process, isolated from others, or emotionally overwhelmed. You can decrease the risk of relapse by looking for possible warning signs and then taking action.

4 Ways to Decrease the Risk of Relapse

Rehabilitation gives you the necessary tools to prevent or cope with potential relapse. Following your aftercare plan, maintaining positive mental health, and taking advantage of your resources will make it easier to avoid slipping back into maladaptive behaviors. You can take steps to decrease your risk of relapse during your aftercare and ongoing recovery by following the steps listed below.

#1 Regularly Attend Therapy and Support Group Meetings

An active and strong support system that you can rely on during moments of high stress will help you maintain emotional stability. Individual therapy sessions and support group meetings will ensure you have the resources to remain sober even if you experience severe cravings or intrusive thoughts. Both of these tools will decrease the likelihood of relapsing.

#2 Work With a Mentor or Sponsor to Maintain Sobriety

Peer support is an essential part of the recovery process for many people. A mentor or sponsor can do the following:

  • Offer relevant advice and suggestions about overcoming challenges related to recovery
  • Provide compassionate support
  • Ensure you use your resources when you need them
  • Hold you accountable for your sobriety and recovery choices

The relationship will offer you support from a person who truly understands your experiences.

#3 Use Breathing Techniques to Lower Stress

Consciously controlling your breathing can lower your heart rate, relax tense muscles, decrease stress, and help you maintain mindfulness. Deep breathing can improve your overall health and wellness. Many free apps and websites provide breathing exercises you can do when you feel overwhelmed or anxious.

#4 Make New Routines After Treatment

Returning to old social routines can bring you back to a mental space that triggers cravings and intrusive thoughts. Making new routines will allow you to embrace a healthier lifestyle and meet new people with similar goals. Additionally, you may consider moving into a sober living home for extra support.

Take Advantage of Our Alumni Services

Alumni and their families can always reach out to Newport Beach Recovery Center if they have questions about how to cope with potential relapse. We also provide programs for individuals who would benefit from outpatient treatment to help them regain or maintain emotional stability after something triggers an emotional or mental relapse. You do not have to navigate recovery alone.

To avoid relapse, you need to know how to recognize signs of something being wrong. Before you leave treatment at Newport Beach Recovery Center, you will collaborate with our care team to create a relevant and comprehensive relapse prevention strategy to ensure you know what steps to take if you encounter challenges during long-term recovery. You do not have to struggle alone. If you find yourself slipping back into old patterns of thinking or behavior, you can reach out to your support system or our office to get back on track. We offer alumni services and family support to ensure everyone participating in treatment at Newport Beach Recovery Center has the tools they need to heal from SUD. We can guide you and your family through the recovery process. Learn more about our facility, treatment programs, and services by calling us today at (888) 850-0363.

5 Ways to Avoid a Relapse During Treatment

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During treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), you will experience situations that trigger cravings and intrusive thoughts about abusing substances. Thinking about relapse is a normal part of recovery, and treatment provides a safe space where you can develop skills to cope with stressors.

According to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, “[T]he main tools of relapse prevention are cognitive therapy and mind-body relaxation, which are used to develop healthy coping skills.” Emotional stability is easier to maintain in a structured treatment facility like Newport Beach Recovery Center, where you can rely on peers and your care team to help you navigate recovery.

What Is a Relapse?

Relapse happens gradually and usually involves a stage where you mentally accept the idea of physically relapsing. A single instance of substance abuse during treatment may not be considered a relapse by everyone’s standards. However, the dangers of abusing even once make prevention of all physical relapses a priority at Newport Beach Recovery Center.

The dangers associated with relapse include:

  • Overdosing
  • Serious injury or illness
  • Severe adverse reactions
  • Mental health setbacks

We do not judge clients for experiencing a relapse. Our care team understands the realities of addiction and how the symptoms of SUD can sometimes manifest, including through mental or physical deterioration. We will help you get back on track if you experience this setback.

The Different Stages of Relapse

A relapse generally involves more than a single instance of substance abuse. Distinct stages can lead you to fall back into a maladaptive pattern of behavior. In time, most people slowly begin to shift how they think and feel about recovery. Below are brief descriptions of the three main stages of relapse.

Emotional Relapse

At any time, emotional relapse can occur. It is not uncommon to experience this multiple times during early recovery if you struggle with ambivalence and frequent intrusive thoughts about substance abuse. The primary signs of emotional relapse include:

  • Increased irritability and negativity
  • Less motivated to continue recovery
  • Feeling apathetic or negative about the treatment process

Individuals experiencing emotional relapse do not actively consider abusing substances as a viable option. However, it can lead to mental relapse.

Mental Relapse

During a mental relapse, you may actively consider the idea of physically relapsing and returning to familiar maladaptive routines. You can protect yourself by getting help immediately if you notice yourself having these thoughts. Therapy, peer support, and prescription medication can help you cope with stressors and relieve anxiety to a point where you no longer want to relapse. If left unaddressed, physical relapse often follows these types of thoughts.

Physical Relapse

A physical relapse involves one or more instances of substance abuse after a period of abstinence. In the long run, physical relapse can severely affect your mental and physical health, and you should do your best to avoid it. Physical relapse can lead to accidental overdose, injury, or even death. If you feel that you may be on the verge of physically relapsing, reach out to someone in your support system, or follow your safety plan.

How to Decrease the Risk of Relapse During Treatment and Aftercare

Relapse may feel inevitable. However, it does not have to be a part of your recovery. If you use the tools you have and actively work to develop relapse prevention strategies, you have a lower risk of experiencing an emotional, mental, or physical relapse.

Above all, you have control over the choices that you make during treatment and recovery. Your agency allows you to change your path for the better at any point. As stated in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine article referenced earlier, you can decrease the risk of relapse by doing the following five things during treatment and aftercare:

#1 Show Yourself Kindness and Compassion

Be kind to yourself, and give yourself permission to ask for support. Stress is the leading cause of relapse, and most people feel stressed due to the pressure they put on themselves during treatment. Show yourself compassion. Set realistic goals for your recovery.

#2 Look Out for Warning Signs of Relapse

Be aware of the warning signs of relapse, and remain vigilant. If you believe you may have emotionally or mentally relapsed, get help from your support system to avoid a physical relapse.

#3 Practice Daily Self-Care

Take care of your physical and emotional needs by practicing regular self-care.

#4 Follow Through With Your Aftercare Plan

Maintain your progress by attending all your treatment appointments and practicing your skill development.

#5 Avoid Places or People that Might Cause You to Relapse

During early recovery, you should avoid returning to social groups and locations associated with past substance abuse. Set firm boundaries with family members who enabled unhealthy behaviors.

You can choose not to slide back into old behaviors or ways of thinking. The symptoms of substance use disorder (SUD) can include intrusive thoughts about using or drinking and intense psychological cravings. One way to avoid relapse is by finding something to keep you moving forward. Achievable goals can give you something positive to focus on, increasing your confidence and self-efficacy. Relapse is not an inevitable part of the recovery process. Individuals with SUD can choose to rely on their resources and coping skills to get through difficult moments. You are not alone in your recovery. The care team at Newport Beach Recovery Center can help you create preventative strategies and set clear boundaries that lower your risk of relapse. To learn more about our treatment programs, call our office today at (888) 850-0363. Our team is here to help you heal from SUD.

What Happens to Clients Who Repeatedly Relapse?

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Some individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) have a more difficult time achieving and maintaining sobriety, and they may worry about attending treatment at Newport Beach Recovery Center if they have a history of relapse. We believe that people should not stop receiving treatment because they display symptoms of the disorder. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “More than anything, relapse may be a sign that more treatment or a different method is needed.” We work with clients to ensure they have access to personalized treatments. In cases of chronic relapse, we may refer clients to another program or facility that better addresses their needs. 

What Are Our Policies About Relapse? 

A relapse consists of physically abusing a substance after a period of abstinence. Most people who relapse use the substance more than once before anyone finds out about their actions. The choice to physically relapse indicates something missing from the therapeutic process. In some cases, it may also indicate that the person is not ready to actively engage in treatment and they may require a different approach. 

We can alter the client’s treatment plan to address whatever underlying issue led them to fall back into maladaptive behaviors. Therapy, medication, and other treatment methods can help clients overcome ambivalence, cope with stressors, and establish healthy relapse prevention strategies. We believe in holding individuals accountable for their actions. However, we will never withhold help from people recovering from SUD. 

Relapse and the Community

Our policies and procedures involving relapse are designed to support the entire community of individuals in recovery at Newport Beach Recovery Center. We provide clients who relapse or feel in danger of relapse the following:

  • Additional emotional support 
  • A behavioral agreement that involves abstaining during treatment 
  • Education and skill development
  • Increased monitoring including drug testing 

Relapse is not a moral failing and it is not inevitable. Clients can take steps to prevent emotional or physical relapse. Our policies include client discharge in cases where they are disruptive, repeatedly relapse, or make no effort to change. We understand that ambivalence is a normal part of recovery. However, clients who actively work on their recovery can avoid relapse by openly communicating their needs and asking for help when they need it.

If you feel a desire to misuse substances during treatment, talk to your care team. They can help you cope with cravings or intrusive thoughts. We can provide you with additional support and resources to ensure you have all the tools you need to maintain your recovery. 

Rejecting a No-Tolerance Policy

We do not have a no-tolerance policy regarding relapse. However, we prioritize the health and safety of each client and our care team. We consider how our decisions will affect everyone at Newport Beach Recovery Center, including the staff and management team. Ultimately, we have a solution-focused response when someone relapses or begins to feel ambivalent about treatment. In order to decrease the risk of relapse, we believe in identifying and addressing the root cause of those feelings.

What Can You Do to Avoid Relapse During Treatment? 

You can lower your risk of relapse by taking care of your mind and body. Regular meals, quality sleep every night, staying hydrated, remaining active, and participating in therapy all contribute to your overall wellness. A clear mind and healthy body will increase your stress threshold and lower your risk of relapse. According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), some of the most common factors that contribute to relapse include: 

  • Decreased self-efficacy
  • Lack of coping skills or adaptability 
  • Ambivalence
  • Loss of motivation 
  • Not enough emotional support 
  • Intense cravings 
  • A belief that substance misuse will provide emotional relief

The rehabilitation programs at Newport Beach Recovery Center address all of these issues. Clients have access to a dedicated care team, personalized support, and therapeutic services designed to stop these factors from impacting their treatment and sobriety. 

When Do We Refer Clients to Another Level of Care? 

We refer clients to a higher level of care if they relapse multiple times, and it becomes apparent that our program does not meet their needs. Clients may be referred to another facility for a short period and then transition back into one of our programs when they feel more confident in their ability to maintain sobriety during treatment. Our care team will collaborate with the client to ensure a smooth transition and decrease any stress related to transferring between levels of care. A physical relapse does not always mean instant referral, and we respond to these slip-ups on a case-by-case basis.

Everyone faces unique stressors and challenges during their recovery. Cravings and other symptoms may intensify during moments of acute stress causing a compulsion to relapse. At Newport Beach Recovery Center, we believe that relapse or slipping back into old behaviors does not indicate any kind of moral failing. Our program can help you reprocess past traumas, establish healthy routines, develop essential life skills, and practice relapse prevention strategies. You are not your diagnosis. However, it will continue to affect you until you work through the underlying issues that have stopped you from healing. We can give you the tools you need to recover from substance use disorder. You are not destined to relapse, and we can help you find healthier coping techniques to manage your symptoms. To learn more about our treatment programs and the services we offer, call our office at (888) 850-0363. 

How Can You Reduce the Risk of Relapse During Aftercare?

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Aftercare is a critical time, and the transition between levels of care can put you at risk of relapse and increase the symptoms of substance use disorder (SUD). Aftercare services ensure you maintain emotional stability and sobriety during ongoing recovery. According to the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, “there is convincing evidence that continuing care can be effective in sustaining the positive effects of the initial phase of care.” Newport Beach Recovery Center provides personalized aftercare planning and alumni services to decrease the risk of relapse and ensure clients remain supported throughout recovery.

How Can Transitioning Between Levels of Care Increase Stress?

The transition between levels of care can add pressure and increase symptoms of anxiety or depression. Programs are less structured, and accountability becomes more reliant on your ability to cope with daily stressors as you move through the various programs. Not everyone feels confident in their ability to shoulder that responsibility when a program ends. Newport Beach Recovery Center empowers each client and provides them with the necessary tools to transition smoothly between treatment programs and continuing care.

Everyday stressors you might encounter when moving between programs or out of structured treatment include:

  • Changing therapists or attending different self-help groups
  • Encountering new and unpredictable environments
  • More personal responsibility

Changing physical locations and transitioning back home or into a sober living community can feel overwhelming after residential care. You may feel strange and uncomfortable until you become familiar with the routines, people, and settings. Even people in outpatient treatment programs experience some increased stress after graduating from the program and entering continuing care.

What Are the Best Ways to Manage Symptoms?

Managing symptoms during aftercare can involve taking advantage of multiple resources. According to Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, “The important functions of continuing care in the recovery process involves maintaining abstinence . . . addressing relapse . . . connecting patients to other sources of support; and addressing other recovery issues, including employment, recreation, housing, and involvement in meaningful and/or enjoyable activities.”

Aftercare plans will include symptom management strategies and community-based treatments. A few ways to decrease your risk of relapse and reduce symptoms once you transition out of treatment include:

  • Practicing regular self-care
  • Joining local recovery groups
  • Creating positive relationships
  • Relying on your support system
  • Using your coping skills

You can use these resources to manage your symptoms and decrease the risk of falling back into old behaviors. Aftercare services at Newport Beach Recovery Center include alumni support and aftercare planning to ensure you have access to everything you need to maintain sobriety.

How Can You Maintain Emotional Stability When Transitioning Out of Care?

Transitioning from a rehabilitation program can mean saying goodbye to a care team and peers who have helped you heal. The move is not always easy, and some people feel a temporary increase in stress and anxiety when they begin continuing care. The lack of structure and increased independence can feel too much, too fast. However, the coping tools you developed during treatment can help you maintain positive mental health and emotional stability.

A few other ways you can maintain emotional stability include:

  • Communicating your needs to people in your support system
  • Practicing mindfulness and grounding techniques
  • Avoiding triggers when possible
  • Attending therapy and support groups

Why Is Aftercare Follow-Through Essential to Mental Health?

You can have all the best aftercare services and resources. However, they will not help you maintain sobriety if you do not follow through with them. Actively working on yourself and your recovery is the only way to keep healing and making progress. Aftercare follow-through does the following:

  • Provides accountability
  • Offers guidelines for achieving goals
  • Ensures you have access to all the tools you need

What Are Effective Tools for Relapse Prevention During Aftercare?

Aftercare planning includes creating strategies to deal with potential problems. Many people know what type of relationships, expectations, and environments they will return to when transitioning out of a treatment facility or leaving intensive outpatient treatment. You will work with your therapist to determine what areas might do the following:

  • Increase stress or anxiety
  • Trigger intrusive thoughts, cravings, or relapse
  • Trigger depressive episodes

Once you identify those areas, your therapist can help you determine ways to avoid or confront those issues safely and healthily. Aftercare planning can include the following:

  • Self-help and 12-Step groups
  • Individual therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Information on local recovery groups
  • Sober living options
  • Prescription medication
  • Skill development classes
  • Financial, housing, or job placement services

With the proper treatment and aftercare planning, you can recover from the effects of SUD and continue to heal and grow.

Relapse is a symptom of substance use disorder and part of the recovery process for many people. At Newport Beach Recovery Center, we use evidence-based methods, including relapse prevention education and therapy, to help clients prepare for the realities of ongoing recovery. You can decrease your risk of relapse by collaborating with our care team and creating an aftercare plan to help you maintain emotional control and balance when transitioning from our treatment program to continuing care. We believe everyone can overcome substance use disorder with the right tools and support. We ensure you have all the necessary resources to maintain sobriety after rehabilitation. You can regain control of your life and continue healing during ongoing recovery with the help of your support system and the sober community. To learn more about our facility and the aftercare services we offer, call us today at (888) 850-0363.

Tips To Help You Recover Your Loved One From Addiction


Addiction is one of the traps that are almost impossible to come out from. That is because it can have a permanent effect on the brain. The first step of addiction treatment is acceptance. The victim needs to admit that they have a problem and need help.

Next, he or she is examined to determine the level of addiction so that a suitable treatment can be administered. It is although essential to know that an addict that has recovered from addiction can quickly backslide and get back into their habit against their will. Relapse is the worst thing that can happen after spending so much money on rehab services. However, there are ways of keeping a recovering addict from relapsing, and they include;

Ensuring that they complete the treatment program

Completion of an addiction treatment program means that the patient is loaded with the right information about how to fight their urge. Addicts that drop out of the program midway show clear signs that they are not ready to change their ways. One of the leading relapse causes is the inability to resist the temptation. Without any guard, you will have no choice but to give in.

Supporting their interests

One of the main signs of drug addiction is isolation. A drug addict will want to avoid people as much as they can because they are embarrassed. This leads most of them to lose interest in many things since the substance has clouded their judgment about everything. During addiction recovery, patients are encouraged and guided into finding their way back to what they used to be passionate about. These can be anything from sports, music and even fashion.

To help them stay distracted from thinking about relapsing, you need to draw them deeper into their interests. For example, if the patient is passionate about playing soccer, buying those boots or a ball is a great way to start. You can organize for them to join a local team.

Change the environment

Relapse recovery can be interrupted by simple triggers like seeing someone using the drug can quickly bring up the urge. That is why it is suitable for recovering patients from changing locations after completing their treatment. This should reduce any chances of the patient accessing the drugs. Note that one of the main reasons for addiction is having access to the substance.

The friends to the recovering addict who is in most chances abusers as well are also living in the same area. We all understand how it’s hard being the black sheep when taking the patient to a new location, ensure that they cannot get access to the drugs. Also, ensure that the people around them are kind and caring. You don’t want your recovering patient to go back to abusing drugs because they did not feel accepted and loved.

Encourage patient to stick to meditation

Meditation after addiction treatment is a way of calming down an addict and suppress the urge to use drugs. A recovering addict goes through so much trouble, and without following the prescribed medication, they become anxious and vulnerable to relapse. One of the common problems that have led recovering addicts back to addiction is lack of sleep. These medications, however, are meant to make the patient comfortable and in control.

Maintaining therapy should also be considered as part of the medication process. That is because it plays a significant role in helping a recovering patient re-connect with the world once more. A therapist helps these patients to make rational decisions and holds their hand through the post-treatment period until the patient has fully recovered.

Propose other ways of dealing with stressful situations

Stress and other human problems are known to be one of the leading causes of drug addiction. When this habit gets out of hand, things can get worse because addicts are not stable. During the treatment period, such addicts have been taught how they need to approach problems and solve them quickly. Your work is to keep reminding such patient about how to carry out themselves and solve challenges like a normal human being.

You will also want to engage the patient through sporting activities. This will help them greatly with anxiety another emotional disorders that can make them become violent and cause significant damage.

Conclusion

Relapse prevention is vital for any recovering addict because anything can trigger back their addiction. According to experts, a drug addict can get back to addiction way faster than the time spent in the rehab. That is why most rehab centers spend more time preparing the patients for the outside world like how to get in touch with their loved ones again.

Support groups are also another great way of ensuring that an addict does not relapse. That is because, within these groups, patients are allowed to support each other and encourage them to go clean. The best thing with help groups is, participants are people who are going through the same thing and are self-motivated to overcome their addiction. Contact us today if you or a loved one are struggling with addiction. At Newport Recovery Center, we are here to help you get sober!

Understanding Relapse


Addiction can be viewed as a disease, and just like other diseases, understanding one’s health issues and admitting that they need to be addressed and creating a plan for recovery are steps to help overcome addiction. A relapse occurs when an individual who has done the good work of undergoing an alcohol or substance abuse program once again begins using drugs or alcohol. The National Institute of Health notes that although there are now “US Food and Drug Administration–approved treatments for nicotine, alcohol, and opioid addiction, more than two-thirds of individuals are known to relapse after initiating treatment for substance use disorders.”

Some challenges in recovery include addressing past traumas and co-occurring disorders, exploring issues that need to be examined and re-envisioned, modifying behaviors, and developing and implementing stress management techniques.

It’s important to look at relapse as a chance to learn and to grow rather than as a failure. A balanced perspective, patience, and sympathetic overview of the situation can all be aids to personal growth and to re-committing to recovery. Rehab, counseling, and support groups may be quite useful to help to teach new stress management techniques, and help to supply encouragement and feedback while the person working on wellness practices incorporating new techniques in an organic and well-organized way.

Reasons an Individual May Relapse

Relapse is a common fear of people in recovery because committing to giving up drugs and alcohol can be quite challenging. The reality concerning recovery is that it is something that needs to be re-committed to every day, and this is especially true when working through the early period of sobriety. Some common issues that may lead to relapse include:

Early Days: Many people face the challenge of relapse when going through withdrawal and the first year of recovery.

Triggers: Revisiting old environments that the addict spent time in while using, and interacting with acquaintances and friends who are still using drugs and alcohol can provide temptation to give in to addiction.

Challenges: One of the challenges to recovery is of everyday routines, such as returning to work and chores and responsibilities; the previous routines may be overwhelming for some people right out of recovery.

Stressors: Whether moving to a new dream home or facing a lay-off at work, emotionally charged events can cause issues for individuals overcoming addiction.

What to Do If a Relapse Occurs

Re-examine triggers and stressors, such as people, places, events, and anniversaries that may set off a renewed episode of drug or substance abuse. Utilizing this awareness, the individual working through addiction issues can use their own insights or, with the aid of a counselor, develop a plan to avoid falling back into issues of alcohol or drug abuse the future.

A relapse can be an invitation to explore different types of treatment, consider the frequency of treatment sessions, and take into account the occurrence of other health and psychological concerns that may be affecting therapy.

Re-commit to sobriety by drawing up plans to utilize resources. These can be supportive individuals, safe environments, and exploring counseling, therapeutic modalities, and sober living peer programs.

Work with medical professionals to find medications that can help during detox, times of the great pressures, or while learning new techniques to healthy living.

It’s not uncommon for people to relapse a number of times before finally coming to long-lasting sobriety. Research shows that with each effort towards recovery, an individual’s probability of long-term sobriety increases. Many relapses transpire when addicts are still in the early stages of withdrawal. The good news is that the risk of relapse steadily decreases. Consider the viewpoint that relapse is imparting important lessons about what one can do to increase the odds of successful sobriety the next time.

Implementing a Recovery Plan

Awareness: Be aware of the triggers that can challenge sobriety and implement rewards when successfully overcoming them.

Allies: When you are trying a new activity or an old challenge, consider asking for help from an ally if it is possible.

List: Create a list of rewards and things that bring pleasure, such as entertainment, hobbies, engaging in the arts or sports that the person working towards recovery can turn to for inspiration, comfort, and enjoyment.

Celebrate Sobriety Milestones: Whether it’s a day, month, or decade, honor the good work of wellness and recovery.

Preventing Future Relapses

Relapse may be a common part of recovery, yet it’s challenging not to be discouraged by this setback. The recovering addict may feel sad to let down people who are encouraging and helping one work towards sobriety.  People may suffer guilt, embarrassment, and shame at using again, and feel overcome by the challenges of committing to sobriety once more, but this needn’t be the case.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that treatment address the whole person, with continuous evaluation and modification, just like the approach taken for other chronic diseases.

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, do not be afraid to reach out. Newport Beach Recovery Center is here to help. Contact us today to receive more information and to talk to an addiction treatment professional.