Relapse prevention is a central component to effective treatment at MARR Addiction Treatment Centers. A thorough understanding of the relapse process goes hand in hand with the addiction education and the cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques that we teach our clients.
We know addiction to be a chronic, progressive, and potentially fatal disease. For this reason, awareness of possible causes of relapse plays a necessary role in long-term recovery.
Research indicates that relapse is not a momentary event. It happens over a period of time. A long time before the addict or alcoholic uses the substance, warning signs emerge that a relapse may be coming.
Prior to resuming substance use, there are both emotional and mental indicators of possible relapse that indicate an increased level of distress and ineffective coping strategies.
- Poor self care
- Isolation
- Frequent loss of temper
- Romanticizing past drug and alcohol use
Recognizing and addressing these issues before they lead to relapse is crucial to long-term recovery.
MARR helps clients increase self-awareness of these warning signs throughout all aspects of our programming. Clients attend a Relapse Prevention Group specifically focusing on identifying these warning signs.
- Clients learn that recognizing these triggers is the first step to relapse prevention. They can serve as guideposts indicating something is wrong and needs to be addressed. Often these signs point to unresolved conflict with others or themselves. They can also indicate unexpressed or unrecognized needs.
- We work with clients to understand these root causes of their disturbances. Doing so early allows clients to address their needs in healthy, productive ways.
- This skill set will prevent them from reentering the cycle of addiction. And it also allows them to develop skills that they did not previously have before recovery.
