Relapse Prevention

Feeling worried about relapse is a normal part of getting sober. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), between 40 to 60 percent of those in recovery will relapse at some point, especially without ongoing support to help ease the transition back into daily life. If you have a co-occurring disorder, this rate is even higher, especially if it’s not properly managed. While many fear that relapse is a sign of failure, we’re here to tell you that it isn’t. Addiction is a lifelong disease that can’t be cured like an illness or injury. Symptoms can flare up when you least expect it, and a relapse signifies that your current treatment plan may need to be modified or adjusted.

At Avalon Malibu, we want to emphasize your ability to stay drug-free and sober long after treatment. We know that recovery takes a lot of courage, support and effort to maintain, so we deliver holistic therapies designed for your individual mindset and emotional needs to help build a strong foundation for a healthy life. But equally vital to your rehabilitation within our treatment center is your preparation for sobriety and a sense of normalcy in the outside world, reinforced by relapse prevention strategies that deliver the tools, resources and knowledge you need to stay on track.

What is Relapse Prevention?

Many individuals, whether they enroll in residential care or participate in our intensive outpatient program, find that the undivided and personalized attention they receive from their therapists is not something that is maintained in a home environment. The abrupt change in schedule, structure and support after treatment can be a jarring experience that many aren’t prepared for, leaving them vulnerable to relapse. Without the right tools, it’s all too easy to give in to the temptations, triggers and pressures that surround us.

To counter involvement in any negative behaviors outside of treatment, we offer relapse prevention therapy (RPT) at Avalon Malibu as part of your individual recovery program. RPT is designed to help you anticipate the possibility of relapse by helping you recognize high-risk situations and develop unique coping strategies that address your urge to use drugs or alcohol. Our counselors utilize RPT as a behavioral self-control program during recovery or in an aftercare program specialized for your transition out of treatment, which, in both programs, can teach you a proactive approach to maintaining your sobriety.

Remaining Proactive Now and in the Future

You’ve worked hard to get where you are and don’t want a relapse to set you back. RPT starts by helping you understand relapse and its signs, warning and symptoms, as well as ways in which you can identify and confront situations that could lead to its arrival. One of the benefits of relapse prevention is how precise it can become to each individual dealing with drug addiction and co-occurring disorders, as it takes your personal issues and outlines how you can address situations you’re likely to encounter in your own life.

Using proven therapeutic techniques based on mindfulness, you will learn how to observe your surroundings and process your thoughts, actions and behaviors so that you can avoid anything that triggers old habits. While enrolled in RPT, you can begin using the tactics you learn now, in treatment, as practice for your return to everyday life. By being proactive about the possibility of relapse and developing strategies for overcoming challenging situations, our goal is to equip you with the tools you need to maintain your recovery long after rehab.

Applying Relapse Prevention Wherever You Are

Coming to terms with relapse can be difficult on your own, which is why our therapists help you navigate the recovery process with RPT. To give you the best chance at lifelong sobriety, therapy is conducted in a group setting with therapists who understand the specific situations and triggers that may contribute to a substance abuse or mental health relapse. Together, you and your peers can discuss and demonstrate examples of triggers and risk-taking behaviors that might compromise your recovery and develop effective strategies for enacting the coping skills learned in treatment.

If you or someone you care about relapses while in recovery, we’ll be there to help. Our approach includes teaching clients and their families the warning signs of a relapse and what to do if one occurs. Rather than placing blame, getting angry or giving up hope, our therapists provide ways to be supportive while still maintaining healthy boundaries. They’ll also identify the appropriate next steps to take, whether that means adjusting a current treatment plan or figuring out a new method for maintaining sobriety.

Finding Your Strength and Retaining Your Balance

At Avalon Malibu, we use holistic methodologies to create balance within your mind, body, and spirit. Using both traditional and alternative therapies, we help you find relief from the toxins that are making it so hard to live a meaningful life. Without balance, you lose control of your body, and when that imbalance occurs during your recovery at home, you can experience lapses in mental health or become tempted to relapse.

RPT shows you that you are strong enough to combat obstacles or temptations on your own and helps you maintain the balance that you worked hard to achieve during treatment. You will learn to use the resources available to you to create continual balance, which will ensure your confidence during sobriety.

We leave no stone unturned when identifying the particular triggers that may contribute to relapse. Whether you are continuing recovery at home or within a treatment program, you will be able to handle any situation that tests your sobriety, even the most unexpected.

The Ultimate Ideal for Recovery

The goal is to help break down the idea of transitioning out of rehabilitation, which may seem overwhelming to you at first. It’s easy to view the chaos of everyday life as something that will naturally induce relapse, but with the techniques taught during RPT, you will soon have realistic expectations that help you navigate conflict, career changes, loss and other stressful events. When you can view recovery as a step-by-step process, it becomes manageable and gives you the control you need to remain sober. You will learn to analyze your thought process and build trust within yourself so that you can successfully cope with your addiction or mental illness.

If you would like more information about relapse prevention therapy or want to learn about the various treatment programs we employ, please contact Avalon Malibu at 888-958-7511 and speak with a member of our staff.