Relapse Prevention Programs in Richmond, VA

Richmond Drug Treatment Centers knows that overcoming a drug or alcohol addiction is a long and gradual process. It’s not enough to simply stop using the substances that are causing you problems, it’s also important to develop the necessary psychological and practical skills needed to turn your life around. The drug treatment process is often divided into three separate yet integrated phases, each of which plays an important role in the recovery process. Medical detox is administered at the outset of treatment, followed by rehabilitation and aftercare support. Relapse prevention programs and systems are integrated into rehab and aftercare to give patients the best chance of making positive life-long changes.

What is Relapse?

In the context of drug treatment, relapse describes the return of problematic drug use after a period of abstinence. Also known as recidivism, relapse can be described both as a singular breakdown of the recovery process and as a series of transgressions that take place over time. Relapse prevention programs are designed to reduce relapse rates by giving patients the skills they need to make different lifestyle choices. Because drug addiction is a learned behavior that changes brain structure over time, dedicated measures are needed to create new physical and psychological associations. Unhealthy physical links are severed through medical detox and long-term pharmacotherapy programs, with unhealthy psychological links altered through behavioral, motivational, and cognitive methods.

Stages of Relapse

Relapse is often experienced as a series of progressive stages, with emotional relapse followed by mental relapse and physical relapse. While the actual relapse event takes place when the patient returns to drug use, there are a number of warning signs that can be noticed much earlier on. Common signs of emotional relapse include mood swings, anger, frustration, irritability, sadness, and social isolation. Unless treated, these emotional warning signs are likely to transform into a mental relapse event. Mental relapse can be recognized by drug fantasies and romantic notions of drug use, with some people starting to plan specific relapse events during this stage. Unless dealt with effectively, a physical relapse event is likely to transpire.

Relapse Prevention Techniques

Recovering drug addicts are often completely unaware of the warning signs as they’re taking place, which is why it’s so important for people to stay engaged with a professional treatment program. Relapse prevention programs are an integral part of the rehabilitation process, both during inpatient and outpatient programs and on an aftercare basis. During a typical program, therapists will help participants to recognize potential triggers, avoid high risk situations, and develop the psychological coping skills necessary to make different lifestyle decisions. Mindfulness often plays a key role in these programs, with patients only able to avoid relapse when they can recognize the warning signs at an early stage.

While most relapse prevention programs are based on motivational, cognitive, and behavioral methods, practical support systems may also play an important role. For example, people are much less likely to relapse when they have access to stable employment and accommodation, and much more likely to stay clean and sober when they engage with exercise and diet programs. If you need to access relapse prevention programs for an existing substance use disorder, Richmond Drug Treatment Centers can be your guide. Just call our caring recovery advocates at (804) 510-0877 for more information.