Relapse Prevention from Residential Treatment Strategies
Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process, and it is possible, through the accumulation of time and experience, to develop an internal map of how to stay sober; one can, through trial and error over many years, discover the paths that lead away from sobriety and those most conducive to staying sober.
Residential treatment programs help individuals detox and recover in a monitored environment and provide them with the tools to help break the cycle of relapse after treatment. With good coping strategies, knowledge of triggers, and an environment conducive to recovery. Recovery can indeed be a great path to a healthy life.
Today, we will discuss some of the most potent relapse prevention tools we have learned in residential treatment.
DBT Skills: How to Identify and Manage Triggers
In other words, the first step in relapse prevention is understanding what leads to craving and addictive behavior. In residential treatment, patients collaborate with therapists to identify internal and external triggers, such as stress, specific environments, social pressures, and emotional triggers. Once the source is determined, patients learn techniques — mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, and cognitive-behavioral techniques — that instruct them to respond positively to the triggers. That enables people to cut cravings off at the pass before they spiral out of control.
Having healthy coping mechanisms
Addiction is often a coping mechanism for emotional pain, anxiety, or trauma. Residential treatment programs mainly aim to help clients replace their use of substances with healthier means of coping.
Patients should also try to minimize their stress through exercise, meditation, journaling, and creative activities. These newly learned coping skills enable a person to manage those unwanted feelings without using drugs or alcohol, thereby promoting long-term recovery.
Establishing a Daily Routine
The risk without structure is boredom and relapse. Residential treatment teaches them to create a daily structure that includes work, personal care, and social interaction. Possibly, one of the most common questions that many will have when getting into treatment is how long drug rehab lasts, no matter the duration; creating a structured lifestyle is a significant aspect of the recovery process.
This consistency cultivates a sense of direction and keeps you from falling back into the same patterns. When a person has been through treatment, having a schedule keeps a mind busy. It distracts behavior as it represents something normal/ stable/predictable — and this helps keep downtime to a minimum as downtime can lead to relapse.
Building a Support System
Other groups of people are vital to preventing relapse. In residential treatment groups, patients spend time doing therapy/group work and peer support meetings to connect with others going through similar struggles in recovery.
These connections often continue post-treatment through 12-step programs, sober living communities, or accountability partners. Being able to call on people will mean that you will always have someone in your corner when it matters most.
How to Do Relapse Prevention Planning
The most beneficial portion of residential treatment is a comprehensive relapse prevention plan. It includes step-by-step actions to take when you are in a high-risk situation, a roundup of who to call, and what to do if a relapse seems inevitable. Role-playing helps prepare someone for success in what the world may throw at them and builds confidence in their sober living skills. Frequently revisiting this plan helps people stay accountable in their recovery.
How to Continue Therapy and Post-Journal
Recovery doesn’t end when the person with an addiction exits residential treatment, and therapy and aftercare are essential. Some treatment facilities provide services such as alum support groups that allow you access to outpatient therapy and other counseling services to support your aftercare. Therapy assists patients in coping with their issues, getting professional treatment, and reinforcing skills obtained while receiving care in rehab.
Final Thoughts
The tools that residential treatment centers provide to individuals in recovery are essential to relapse prevention. Knowing what would trigger a relapse and what to do instead, having structure in daily life, building a support network, having a relapse prevention plan, and continued therapy all contribute significantly to minimizing the risk of relapse. The journey to recovery is ongoing. However, a long-term life of sobriety is possible when applying the proper skills. People practice these and cultivate a life of their own, one that’s going to keep them out of addiction — the addiction that’s their damn fault or, more, the addiction that society’s distilled into them.
