Relapse Prevention in Piscataway, NJ
Addiction is a chronic disease, just like high blood pressure or diabetes. And just as a person would seek medical treatment and follow-up for these health conditions, a person should seek help for relapse prevention in Piscataway.
While a person cannot necessarily "cure" themselves of their addiction, they can learn to manage their symptoms. They can educate themselves on how to identify the warning signs they may be headed for relapse. In our drug rehab in Piscataway, they can meet with like-minded people who are dedicated to sobriety and to each other's success as sober individuals. These are just a few of the goals and missions for relapse prevention programs.
Relapse prevention programs are designed to help a person identify potential situations and circumstances that may lead to relapse. This could include a discussion of what a person can do if they are faced with a friend who offers them drugs.
Other examples of relapse prevention programs include those that aim to help a person take better care of their mind and spirit, such as meditation, art therapy, music therapy, or yoga. Ideally, a person who participates in relapse prevention in Piscataway will learn how to develop positive coping mechanisms so a person doesn't feel like they have to return to drugs and/or alcohol in order to feel better.
Relapse Statistics Among Addicts and Alcoholics
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an estimated 40 to 60 percent of those who become sober at one time will relapse again. This relapse rate is similar to that of medical conditions such as diabetes. Relapse doesn't mean that a person is relegated to a lifetime of drug abuse.
However, it does mean that a person has an opportunity to decide they are going to try again to stay sober and also pursue relapse prevention in Piscataway that can help them become stronger and better able to fight off temptations and unhealthy thoughts that can ultimately lead to relapse.
Warning Signs and Symptoms of Relapse
A person in recovery requires a fine balance in their life. Even though relapse is most cared for during our medical detox in Piscataway, there is still a risk for relapsing afterwards. The addict must take care of their body, mind, and spirit, to best protect themselves against the risks for returning to drug and/or alcohol abuse. Often, a relapse can occur when a person does not take care of themselves well, which can lead to thoughts of using drugs or alcohol as a means to self-medicate. Some of the signs and warnings of relapse include:
- Not getting enough sleep
- Not eating a healthy diet
- Discontinuing relapse prevention treatment meetings
- Withdrawing from friends and family
Just as drug addiction symptoms can be initially difficult to recognize in a loved one, so can the symptoms of relapse. However, a relapse prevention program can help a person and others in their life identify the warning signs of relapse.
Stages of Relapse
According to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, relapse is not usually something that happens overnight, but instead occurs in stages. However, if a person hasn't participated in a relapse prevention program, they may not be able to identify these stages until their risk for relapse has greatly increased.
The three stages of relapse are emotional, mental, and physical relapse.
Emotional relapse is the first phase, when a person is not usually expressly thinking about returning to drug abuse. However, they may be sliding back into behaviors known to contribute to drug abuse. Examples include isolating themselves and refraining from sharing their emotions with friends and family. Discontinuing relapse prevention meetings or other treatment programs in Piscataway is also another emotional relapse symptom. All of these symptoms are related to a person not taking care of themselves, which can lead to the next phase of relapse.
Mental relapse occurs when a person starts to think about using drugs again. They start to crave drugs or alcohol and think of doing drugs as "the good old days." 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 is the final stage and occurs when the cravings for drugs or alcohol are so strong that a person does start to use drugs or alcohol again. While a physical relapse may be a setback, it isn't the end for a person who wants to be sober. Instead, it can be thought of as a "relapse of opportunity" where a person can reach out for help and through relapse prevention in Piscataway learn to identify thoughts and behaviors that may have led to their relapse.
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