Austin Relapse Prevention Programs
Relapse prevention programs are a crucial part of any addiction recovery treatment. Teaching a recovering person strong relapse prevention strategies is the key to preventing the return to drug or alcohol abuse and maintaining sobriety over the long term.
Statistics show that people seeking help for addiction have a significantly increased rate of recovery if they engage in Austin relapse prevention programs after graduating rehab. Here are some things about relapse prevention to consider.
To find out how Austin addiction rehab centers can assist you in your crisis, call (877) 804-1531 for more information.
What is Relapse?
Relapse is the term given to describe going back to previous addictive behaviors after a period of abstinence. Many people continue judge the success of addiction treatment based on the relapse rate. The reality is that addiction is a chronic disease in which relapse is considered a normal part of the recovery process.
Three Stages of Relapse
Most people believe relapse is an isolated event characterized by falling off the wagon and returning to self-destructive behaviors. It's actually a process involving several stages and early warning signs that precede the actual act of relapsing. These are:
Emotional Relapse: emotional relapse is characterized by a part of the mind still being motivated to achieve recovery, but the addicted side of the mind may be setting the person's emotions up for possible relapse. Not dealing with stressful situations properly and allowing emotions to build up to explosive proportions is an early warning sign to watch for.
Mental Relapse: during mental relapse the addicted part of the brain actively starts thinking about using again. Remaining abstinent may start to feel more of a burden than a recovery, which leads to fantasizing about or glamorizing past drug abuse. Late stages of mental relapse may include planning how to start using again without anyone noticing, or planning a relapse around other people's schedules.
Physical Relapse: the act of returning to drug or alcohol abusive behaviors is considered physical relapse. By the time the user picks up a drug or takes a drink, it's extremely difficult to stop the process. It's important to recognize the early warning signs of relapse and ask for help and support before processing to the later stages.
Make a decision now. Call (877) 804-1531 to find out about drug detox centers in Austin that can help you overcome addiction and achieve long-lasting recovery. You can also visit your local Narcotics Anonymous (http://www.usrecovery.info/NA/Texas.htm) for more support.