Relapse Prevention in Boston, MA
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), most individuals that have completed a drug rehab program will relapse. Boston drug rehab centers report relapse rates between 40 to 60 percent, with lower rates more typical of long-term residential programs.
In an attempt to improve long-term recovery outcomes, addiction specialists have turned to different relapse prevention approaches. In most cases, however, relapse prevention is done as a cognitive-behavioral approach. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps recovering individuals think about their own thought patterns and triggers, potentially allowing them to better avoid and overcome relapse triggers.
Prevention is best achieved through a combination of rehabilitation aftercare methods. For more information on different options in the Greater Boston Area, contact Boston Drug Rehab Treatment Centers at (857) 577-8193.
The “Three Stages of Relapse”
Most addiction treatment experts know that sobriety failure is not a one time event. In most cases, individuals that have relapsed can think back to a number of moments and experiences that led to them relapsing.
Most relapse prevention programs use some kind of framework that treats relapse as a multistage phenomenon. This allows for a more focused approach to treatment.
Many addiction specialists refer to a three-stage model of relapse. These three stages are: emotional, mental, and physical.
Emotional relapses
Emotional relapse is also known as “early relapse.” In this phase, a person is not necessarily thinking about using drugs or alcohol again but is instead starting to slip back into destructive thinking. These lines of thinking can cause a person to stop taking care of themselves. They may begin to feel “stuck” in the recovery process.
Signs of emotional relapse include:
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Defensiveness
- Mood swings
- Poor eating and sleeping habits
- Stopping going to aftercare meetings and not asking for help when needed
Mental relapse
Mental relapse is the next phase and occurs when a person does start thinking about using drugs or alcohol again. Some people going through this phase may describe this phase as if “a war is going on in their minds.”
Symptoms of mental relapse include:
- Constantly thinking about places, people, and circumstances where a one used drugs
- Fantasizing about using drugs or alcohol again
- Lying to others about thoughts of using substances
- Starting to associate with people the person previously abused drugs or alcohol with
- Thinking of or planning to use drugs or alcohol
A person in this phase may start to feel as if this time, they could control their substance use. The person believes that things could be different and that they could find a happy medium between substance misuse and not experiencing the harmful consequences.
Physical relapse
Physical relapse is the final stage, in which the individual obtains their drug of choice and uses it again. There is a fine distinction between a one-time slip-up and a total failure of sobriety, Using drugs or alcohol once after a period of sobriety is a lapse, whereas a complete return to a lifestyle of substance addiction is a relapse.
Aims of relapse prevention programs
Cravings will remain long after a person has completed detox and rehab. This is because addictive substances can change the way the brain works, which leaves lingering effects even if the recovering individual has been clean for several months. The brain heals slowly compared to the rest of the body, and it can take a while before cravings become manageable without any active effort.
For this reason, aftercare and relapse prevention must always be on the mind of a person as they detox or enter a rehab program for a substance use disorder. Fortunately, most rehab centers in Boston will give patients a number of aftercare options, even before they complete their treatment program.
Most aftercare and relapse prevention programs aim to achieve the following goals:
- High-risk situations a person should avoid
- Identifying relapse stages
- Warning signs a person may be relapsing
- When to reach out for help
Options for relapse prevention in Greater Boston
Many aftercare programs in the Greater Boston Area focus on hobbies, community work, wellness, and how to live a fuller, healthier life without drugs or alcohol. This may help the recovering individual find a new purpose in life that does not involve drugs. These programs may also help to reduce anxiety and boredom and buy the recovering individual the time they need to heal and move on from drugs.
Examples of other techniques associated with relapse prevention include:
- Finding an aftercare program, such as a 12-step program or SMART recovery
- Finding a sponsor to support and mentor a person struggling with addiction
- Living in a sober living facility
- Starting beneficial therapies that can help a person feel healthier, such as yoga, art therapy, or music therapy
Find relapse prevention programs in Boston
Utilizing a variety of relapse prevention techniques can help a person find the approaches that work best for them. To learn more about relapse prevention and find Boston-based facilities that specialize in related therapies, call Boston Drug Rehab Treatment Centers (857) 577-8193