When you or a loved one is receiving treatment for a substance abuse issue, a proper relapse prevention plan can greatly improve your treatment outcome and strengthen your recovery. While not everybody experiences this during recovery, a successful relapse prevention plan is a valuable tool during treatment and recovery.
Likewise, after successfully detoxing and engaging in an addiction treatment program, creating a strategy to address your triggers and cravings following discharge or during outpatient treatment can help you navigate recovery.
After completing treatment, you need to develop a plan to cope with things like personal affairs, relationships, and career obligations. Your plan could address things like how to properly balance your personal life, recovery, and career. It should also account for issues like dealing with friends or family members that continue to use drugs and alcohol.
What is a Relapse Prevention Plan?
During treatment, it is important to work with your treatment team, counselors and staff to construct a solid relapse prevention plan.
Some relapse prevention plan examples include:
- Strategies to deal with stress
- A plan to balance your personal and career obligations
- Outlining ways to cope with cravings
- Strategies to deal with triggers
- How to properly handle conflict at home and at work
- Ways to avoid people, places and things that negatively influence your recovery
- Decreased appetite
Additionally, some of the most common causes of relapses include stress, negative emotions and financial, personal or career instability. Negative emotions and conflict are unavoidable. A relapse prevention plan helps you identify potential barriers to your recovery. You can then construct a healthy and positive way to manage those potential conflicts.
The Benefits of a Relapse Prevention Plan
A relapse prevention program can help decrease your chances of relapsing. Coping with life without drugs and alcohol is difficult. Cravings can last for weeks, or even months, after you successfully detox. While you can do your best to avoid triggers, it is impossible to completely avoid them.
Also, this plan outlines what you and your treatment team identify as your biggest risks, meaning that your gameplan will be personalized to meet your needs. If, for example, you know that certain environments or events can result in cravings or triggers, a plan can help you prepare to address those situations in advance.
Additionally, a plan can help you connect with community-based supports, such as peer-led recovery groups. These provide a resource for when you feel overwhelmed or triggered.
Finding the Right Treatment Center
A solidified relapse prevention plan can greatly improve your recovery outcomes and help you achieve your goal of long-term sobriety. While you may never be able to completely avoid triggers, a relapse prevention plan can help you manage your emotions and environment to better support your recovery goals. Prevention plans can even include your family members and spouse.
In conclusion, if you or a loved one needs help addressing a substance abuse issue, reaching out for help can be difficult. At Providence Treatment, we specialize in offering a relapse prevention plan that meets your individualized needs. If you are ready to make the first step towards recovery, call us today at [Direct].
