Substance use disorders are rising in the U.S. as more people turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with depression, stress, or other reasons. Those who try to stop abusing on their own know how easy it can be to relapse, especially when withdrawals and cravings peak 48-72 hours into detox. Relapse prevention treatment helps people who want to stop abusing drugs or alcohol and maintain lifelong sobriety. This program can significantly reduce the risk of relapse during the first year of sobriety and throughout your life.
Virtue Recovery Houston supports Texas residents ready to stop abusing drugs or alcohol and lead a healthy and sober lifestyle. We offer several beneficial treatment programs to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings and show clients how to live their best lives.
The Importance of Preventing Relapse
For people with a substance use disorder, preventing relapse is a significant concern, especially if they are unaware of the reasons behind the abuse. An addiction treatment program involves a number of different types of therapies. These therapies help people understand how addiction works, what triggers their cravings, and how to stop the cycle of addiction once and for all.
A relapse prevention treatment program teaches clients how to recognize what triggers their cravings and several healthy coping skills to prevent them from relapsing. While each person is different in what triggers them, some of the most common relapse triggers include:
- Work or school-related stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Peer pressure
- Gender confusion
- Loneliness
- Relationship troubles
- Certain smells, noises, or people
During relapse prevention therapy, therapists use cognitive-behavioral therapy and other techniques to identify the reasons or situations that can trigger their cravings and how to resist those temptations. Clients learn how to recognize when their cravings are worsening and how to distract themselves before they give in to their temptations.
A relapse is not a failure in recovery. It only indicates that more work is necessary to identify the specific things that trigger addictive symptoms. At Virtue Recovery Houston, our relapse prevention plan is essential to our addiction treatment programs. It gives people the skills and confidence they need to maintain their sobriety no matter how difficult life can get.
The Benefits of Relapse Prevention Treatment
There are many benefits of enrolling in a relapse prevention treatment program for those who are ready to stop letting their addiction consume their lives. If left untreated, the addiction will worsen and cause significant physical and psychological harm. Here are just some of the benefits of enrolling in relapse prevention therapy:
A Better Understanding of Relapsing
Knowing how addiction works and how drugs and alcohol affect your body and mind is an important step in the recovery process. Therapists will teach clients why relapsing is prevalent in the first year after recovery and long into the future. Addictive symptoms can return years later without any warning, and you will need to know how to resist those cravings to stop yourself from relapsing.
Improved Communication and Coping Skills
Clients who participate in relapse prevention therapy gain a number of healthy coping skills and learn how to communicate their feelings better. This allows them to easily resist their cravings and feel confident in rejecting those who offer them drugs or alcohol.
Medication-Assisted Treatments
To ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings, clients will be given safe medications to treat addiction and depressive or anxiety symptoms. Medical staff will administer specific dosages for each client and monitor their symptoms during the program. As their symptoms begin to fade, they will start reducing the amount of medicine until no longer necessary.
A relapse prevention plan is the best way to prevent future relapses and give people the confidence and skills to maintain lifelong sobriety.
Contact Virtue Recovery Houston for Help with Your Relapse Prevention Plan
Virtue Recovery Houston is a fully accredited addiction treatment center in Houston, TX. Our relapse prevention treatment program is just one part of our comprehensive treatment programs that give our clients the necessary tools and life skills to maintain their sobriety confidently. Treatment programs will include a mix of behavioral and holistic therapies and medical support to create a whole-person recovery experience.
To discover how our treatment programs can benefit your recovery, call 866.457.4811 or reach out online today to schedule a tour and meet our friendly team.
