Relapse Prevention

Maintaining An Addiction-Free Lifestyle

Drug and alcohol detox is just the beginning of addiction treatment and lifelong recovery. Individuals recovering from various substance use disorders often encounter relapse. Many lose their employment, families, freedom, and even their lives as a result of relapse. Because of this, relapse is often normalized as an inevitable part of recovery. There are also many who manage long-term sobriety without a single relapse.

Relapse can be minimized and even prevented by understanding and reducing relapse risks. At Believe Detox Center, in Los Angeles, California, we have developed an addiction relapse prevention program to reduce the likelihood and severity of relapse. Thus, our relapse prevention program in California is a service specializing in helping people maintain sobriety.

Once someone has completed rehab treatment, we immediately start the relapse prevention program. With our program, there is no waiting for aftercare programs to get the support a person needs and answers to any questions they have. Our trained therapists help them identify thoughts and situations that put them at greater risk of relapse.

Why Does Someone Need Addiction Relapse Prevention?

Relapse is not random. Scientific research continues to discover risk factors that can lead to substance use disorders, such as genetics and environment. Relapse prevention involves identifying each individual’s risks and triggers while creating coping skills to prevent relapse.

If individuals do not address the underlying causes that led to their substance use disorder, all of the factors that contributed to their addiction will still be there. Recovery is not achieved by simply not using. Instead, recovery involves creating a new life where it is easier to not use drugs or alcohol.

It takes more than willpower to avoid a relapse. Relapse triggers are different for every person, depending on their history, underlying social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health disorders that led to substance use, as well as where they are in their recovery journey.

Some common triggers for relapse:

Experiencing high levels of stress
Being around family and friends who drink or use drugs
Visiting places where drugs or alcohol is easily available
Unresolved trauma
Untreated mental health conditions
Overconfidence in recovery
Memories of past substance use in a way that overlooks the pain and suffering it caused
Feeling a loss of control over things in one’s life

It is important to understand that recovery is not an event or time-limited goal, but rather a series of changes across multiple parts of one’s life that must be maintained over the long term. After completing a 90-day program, we transfer them to our Alumni & Aftercare program for continued support.

The Stages of Relapse

Recovery should be done one day at a time. Relapse is a process that starts weeks or even months before the event of physical relapse. It helps to not sabotage one’s self by thinking too far ahead.

There are three stages of relapse:

Emotional relapse. Someone is not thinking about using but their emotions and behavior are setting them up for a possible relapse. These are also symptoms of post-acute withdrawal.
Mental relapse. In cases of mental relapse, there is a tug-of-war going on in the mind. Part of someone wants to use drugs or alcohol, but part of them doesn’t. It gets harder to make the right choices as the pull of addiction grows stronger.
Physical relapse. Once one starts thinking about relapse, it doesn’t take long to reach physical relapse, especially when coping and relapse prevention strategies are not applied.

Our relapse prevention program helps people recognize the early warning signs of relapse. Then they can learn how to change unhealthy thinking patterns that can lead back to substance use.

What We Do in Our Addiction Relapse Prevention Program

Relapse Prevention Education

Relapse prevention education is an extensive part of our program. Our relapse prevention program in California is proud to provide relapse prevention education to our clients. We conduct group education sessions three times a week to educate patients on various topics. After detailed research, our therapists have designed the program with an effective curriculum and activities.

Here’s what we include in our curriculum:

Progression of addiction
Withdrawal and addictive symptoms
Threats to stabilization
Relapse warning and triggers
Coping strategies
Personal relapse prevention plan

Triggers vs. Cravings

Triggers and cravings are ways in which patients who want to recover from drug addiction become distracted from their goal. Considering their importance, we explain the difference between the terms in our relapse prevention education.

Triggers are the elements that force or excite someone to abuse substances for pleasurable sensations. In contrast, the cravings include physical urges to take drugs or alcohol. If someone is recovering from addiction, they must know how to handle triggers and cravings for the best results.

Personalized Relapse Prevention

Believe Detox Center believes in long-term recovery instead of short-term stabilization. We create personalized plans according to one’s needs and preferences. Our personalized relapse prevention in Los Angeles helps as a support network to help with long-term recovery.

In Personalized Relapse Prevention, we include:

Healthcare
Support groups
Sober companions
Fitness training
Education
Alumni and aftercare programs

Positive vs. Negative Addictions

Our society tells us that there are good addictions, such as work or exercise, and bad addictions, like drugs and alcohol. However, addiction is never a good thing. The truth is, addiction harms the individual and causes negative consequences.

Understanding the difference between addiction and habit can be difficult at first. Addiction doesn’t depend on the amount consumed or how much time is spent consuming it. Addiction is more about harm and loss of control.

However, there are many healthy habits and hobbies that can help to replace addictions and assist in the prevention of addiction relapse. In our relapse prevention program, our therapists introduce people to healthy habits and hobbies to help them maintain sobriety and prevent relapse.

Examples of healthy habits and hobbies:

Diet and exercise
Weightlifting
Running
Indoor and outdoor sports
Yoga
Reading and writing
Art
Volunteering

The fear of relapse can be debilitating. However, it doesn’t have to be when someone has healthy coping strategies.

Discover Quality Relapse Prevention in Los Angeles, CA

Believe Detox Center is an ideal place for long-term recovery from substance use disorders. From medications to therapists, we boast extensive resources for your personalized recovery plan. In addition to our outstanding treatment programs, we offer one of the best addiction relapse prevention programs in Los Angeles, California.