Relapse Prevention in Pasadena, TX

When a person thinks of quitting substance abuse, they often picture the physical withdrawal process and emerging as a sober individual. What a person rarely pictures is how the day to day life of a person in recovery looks like. A person who struggles with substance addiction has for so long lived a life that revolves around drugs and/or alcohol. When they become sober, they must adopt new, healthy behaviors that will help them resist the temptation to return to drugs or alcohol. While addiction is treatable, it isn't necessarily curable. Relapse prevention in Pasadena aims to help a person go through their daily life while remaining sober.

What is Relapse Prevention?

Relapse prevention programs can take many forms and encompass any program that a person may participate in after the drug withdrawal process. Examples can include programs designed to relieve stress, such as participation in restorative yoga or equine, art, or music therapy. Relapse prevention programs also often include group therapies, where a person can learn from the experiences of others and how people resisted the urge to return to drug abuse.

We offer medication management, such as taking methadone when a person struggles with opiate addiction in Pasadena, which can also be a part of relapse prevention in Pasadena. Regardless of the approach, it's important that a person struggling with addiction always remain actively engaged in their personal sobriety. Through participation in these programs, a person can accomplish this goal.

Relapse Statistics Among Addicts and Alcoholics

Relapse statistics are not unlike those for many chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. A person may be able to take medications for these conditions and even lose weight, yet return to their previous sedentary lifestyle or stop taking their medications. The same is true for drug addiction.

A person can be actively engaged in relapse prevention in Pasadena, then suddenly backslide and stop going to meetings or doing things that are good for their health, such as getting enough rest. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the relapse statistics for drug abuse are similar to those of chronic conditions. An estimated 40 to 60 percent of people who struggle with substance abuse will relapse at some point in their lives. However, a relapse doesn't mean a person has to return to full-blown addiction. Through relapse prevention treatment, a person can identify the circumstances that led to a relapse and what they can do to prevent it from happening again.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Relapse

If a person does relapse, they can often use the assistance of a relapse prevention program to identify the thoughts and behaviors that ultimately led to their relapse. Some of these signs and symptoms could include stopping attending meetings. A person may cease or slow contact with those who encouraged them to get sober or a mentor who has helped a person stay sober in the past. A person may start to reminisce about the days when they abused drugs and start to think those days weren't so bad. They may also start to plan a relapse and believe that they can use just once and won't be addicted or struggle again.

Much research has been conducted regarding addictive behavior and thought processes. Many people find they had been lying to themselves and to others about their habit and its effect on their lives and the lives of others. They may fool themselves into believing they aren't hurting themselves through drug abuse and that they can handle it. However, ultimately drug addiction can swallow every aspect of a person's life. That's why relapse prevention programs exist as a means to try and keep this effect from happening.

Stages of Relapse

According to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, relapse typically occurs in three identifiable stages. These three stages are emotional, mental, and physical relapse.

Emotional relapse: When a person isn't thinking about returning to drug abuse, but is engaging in behaviors that can make a person feel tired and tempted. Examples of these behaviors include stopping attending meetings and not talking to friends and family. Dual diagnosis in Pasadena often catches relapse at this stage.

Mental relapse: The phase where a person starts to think about abusing drugs again. A person may even start to plan when they will use drugs again and start lying to themselves that they could use drugs just once or that relapsing would not be so bad.

Physical relapse: When a person gives in and returns to drug abuse. When a person enters the physical relapse phase, they can choose to pursue relapse prevention services or continue their abuse.

These services are offered by us with just one call at (877) 804-1531.