Relapse Prevention is a strategy for dealing with Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome and the mental, emotional and behavioral triggers that alcoholics and addicts face in the early stages of recovery. It is a plan of action that is crucial to remaining clean and sober after completing substance abuse treatment. Without it there is a very high likelihood of drinking or using again.

The anatomy of a relapse

When someone relapses, it begins with a feeling of discomfort that can be traced back to Post Acute Withdrawal and/or some form of distress that is related to something specific or just a general sense of unease.

Physical, emotional and/or mental discomfort leads to feelings of distress. For someone in early recovery, these uncomfortable feelings are difficult to handle. They set in motion an urgent desire to feel better – to get rid of the pain and discomfort. For the newly clean and sober person the most familiar method of doing that is drinking or using drugs. Since the persons ability to have good judgment has been damaged as a result of substance abuse, they forget the pain and suffering that this caused in their life, and think “oh, I can have just one…and that will make me feel better.” Of course, this is not true, but it is the essence of denial, and if this thinking is not interrupted, it will lead to the familiar behavior of drinking or using drugs again.

Reversing the Pattern

By interrupting this pattern and then reversing it, relapse can be prevented:

When the initial discomfort triggers the desire to use, our clients learn to do different things, think different thoughts, which results in feeling better. This allows them to handle whatever the initial discomfort was, and remain clean and sober. This plan of action that will – if followed – prevent a relapse.

Behavior – Recovery Activities

Instead of picking up a drink or a drug, our clients learn to:

• Develop a support system – and use it
• Go to self-help meetings like AA and NA
• Talk with a sponsor – before they pick up
• Contact their counselor

Thoughts – Manage Denial

Denial is any type of thinking that says “it’s ok to pick up a drink or a drug,” or “I will feel better if I could just have one.” These thoughts are lies, and they are the result of the poor judgment that alcoholics and addicts suffer from due to the brain damage that is caused by prolonged substance abuse. Managing this type of thinking is extremely important. By talking with someone in your support system, this type of thinking can be exposed and corrected so that the alcoholic or addict is not deluding themselves about the consequences of drinking or using will be. Once a client does this, they recognize or are reminded of the truth – that they cannot safely take even one drink or drug – and this brings them back into reality about the fact that a drink or a drug will not solve their problem.

Feelings – Process and Get Relief

At this point, there is usually a sense of relief. Clients feel that they are back on track, and begin to process their feelings by sharing them. This feeling of relief is heightened by the knowledge that they are not alone, and that they are not the only one who has gone through whatever it is that they are going through. They are reminded that this is a normal part of the recovery process and that it is a sign that they are well on their way.

Discomfort – Eased by Processing Thoughts and Feelings

As the result of changing the behavior, managing thinking, and processing the feelings, the original discomfort is lessened, and the individual no longer feels the tremendous drive to drink or use drugs. The relapse has been interrupted, and the addict or alcoholic continues on their path of recovery.

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Recovery First offers several levels of substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation. Our most intensive level of treatment is the Inpatient Substance Abuse Program, but we also have other treatment options for drug addiction and alcoholism like our Day/Night Program or Sober Living.