Relapse Prevention in Wichita Falls, TX

The process to becoming sober can have many steps. This includes detoxification and the maintenance phase where a person has returned to their daily life. It is during this phase that a person can be vulnerable to the potential for relapse. A relapse is when a person who has been sober returns to drug and/or alcohol use. While relapse is always a risk for a person who has struggled with addiction, it is possible for a person to participate in relapse prevention in Wichita Falls that helps a person identify when they are at risk for a relapse.

Relapse prevention programs can vary and include anything from 12-step programs or stress-relieving tools, such as restorative yoga, music therapy, or art therapy. According to a study published in the journal "Alcohol, Research & Health," many of the relapse prevention treatment programs in Wichita Falls operate on a cognitive-behavioral model. Examples of the steps in the cognitive-behavioral model include:

Identifying potential high-risk situations that could cause a person to relapse.

Identifying effective coping responses.

Increasing a person's belief in themselves and their ability to stay sober.

By empowering a person to champion their own sobriety, they are less likely to practice ineffective coping responses and to maintain their sobriety.

Relapse Statistics Amongst Addicts and Alcoholics

Relapse statistics can vary based on the type of drug abused. Some drugs, such as methamphetamine and heroin have higher relapse rates than addiction to alcohol. However, the overall relapse rates for drug and alcohol abuse are 40 to 60 percent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). These statistics are similar to those of other chronic illnesses, such as hypertension and asthma.

While the statistics associated with relapse may initially seem high, almost one in two patients are overcoming their addiction and living a sober life every day. A person may relapse one, two, or more times before becoming sober. It's important that a person not view relapse as something they can't come back from. However, they should view relapse as an opportunity to learn from and participate in relapse prevention in Wichita Falls to ensure a person does not return to full-blown drug abuse.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Relapse

Some of the chief contributing factors to drug relapse include stress, exposure to people and/or situations a person used to do drugs with, or being around others who are actually using a drug. Relapse prevention programs help a person identify some of the potential "addictive" ways of thinking. Examples of thoughts and statements a person may make if they may be headed toward relapse include:

I don't know if I can continue to stay sober, but I'm afraid to tell my friends and family that.

I can stay sober without participating in any types of recovery programs.

I don't have a lot of balance in my life -- I am a workaholic, I don't sleep well, or I don't eat healthy foods.

I live with people or hang out with people who abuse drugs and/or alcohol.

I resent or reject help from those around me.

These are all statements a person heading for relapse may make in their head or to others.

Stages of Relapse

In addition to the general signs and symptoms of drug relapse, there are three stages of relapse that doctors have identified. Relapse prevention in Wichita Falls teaches a person about each of these relapse stages so they can recognize them whenever possible.

Emotional Relapse: Emotional relapse occurs when a person isn't taking care of themselves very well. They are skipping out on sleep and may stop going to recovery meetings. They aren't expressly thinking of doing drugs again, but they aren't promoted a health sense of well-being that could help them better resist drugs or alcohol.

Mental Relapse: Mental relapse occurs when a person does start thinking about using drugs again. They may reflect on their time of drug abuse as "the good old days." They may even start to plan obtaining and using drugs again. They may start to become secretive and stop reaching out to loved ones because they feel resentful and think that their family will try to sabotage them. Dual diagnosis treatment in Wichita Falls can treat a mental illness that creates an addiction.

Physical Relapse: Physical relapse occurs when a person returns to drug and/or alcohol abuse. This is not a stage of thoughts, but instead a stage of action. However, this doesn't have to mean the full end to a person's sobriety. One lapse in judgment can present an opportunity to return to a drug relapse prevention program and emerge from the episode stronger and more committed to their sobriety than ever. Call us now at (877) 804-1531.