Relapse Prevention in Irvington, NJ

A crucial part of any comprehensive drug or alcohol addiction rehab treatment is a strong relapse prevention program. Relapse prevention in Irvington teaches a recovering addict effective ways to remain clean and sober over the long term.

Programs for relapse prevention in Irvington are tailored to suit each individual person's unique addiction triggers. Just as the psychological reasons behind self-destructive behaviors associated with addiction are different for each person, the same is true of developing different relapse prevention treatment programs to address those needs.

What Is Relapse Prevention?

Relapse prevention is a specialized behavioral therapy designed to identify the recovering patient's reasons behind dysfunctional or self-destructive beliefs and attitudes. Throughout therapy, the person is taught effective ways to avoid and prevent high-risk situations that could lead to a potential relapse.

A big part of the addiction recovery process is learning healthy ways to deal with stress without the need for drugs or alcohol. Relapse prevention programs aim to teach people in recovery new coping skills and stress management tools that can make it easier to manage cravings and reduce the risk of relapsing back into a pattern of addictive substance abuse.

Why Are Relapse Prevention Tools Necessary?

Relapse prevention treatment programs are a necessary part of any drug or alcohol rehab treatment program. The tools and skills a recovering person learns are designed to increase the likelihood of remaining clean and sober after formal treatment has ended.

Many people believe that trying to break free from the grip of drug or alcohol addiction simply means stopping use and detoxing. There is also a false belief that getting through the detox process should mean the person is somehow suddenly cured of the addiction.

What those people don't take into account are the psychological triggers behind compulsive substance abuse. Drug detox in Irvington is useful, but on its own won't address the psychological issues that may have caused the person to turn to drugs or alcohol in the first place.

Relapse prevention tools and strategies are designed to teach the recovering person to recognize their own individual addiction triggers. Therapy also teaches patients a range of different skills and recovery tools designed to help them stay clean and sober over the long term.

What Happens In Relapse Prevention Programs?

Relapse prevention in Irvington also includes education about the nature of addiction as a chronic relapsing disease of the brain. It's common for most people to assume that a relapse means addiction rehab treatments have failed. However, relapse can be a sign that management skills and tools used to maintain sobriety need to be adjusted.

People living with other chronic relapsing conditions, such as asthma or type 2 diabetes, are taught various ways to manage their symptoms. If symptoms do recur, it's considered normal for the person to seek treatment at once.

The same principle is true with addiction. Throughout relapse prevention treatment programs, recovering people are taught that symptoms of the disease may return. When they do, it's important that the person asks for help and seeks the appropriate professional treatment immediately.

Relapse Prevention Aftercare Services

Relapse prevention in Irvington doesn't stop just because rehab treatment has ended. When a person graduates from a comprehensive addiction rehab treatment program, they're given access to a range of aftercare services to use as they continue the recovery process.

Some common relapse prevention aftercare services include:

Counseling and therapy: Ongoing counseling and therapy help to reinforce recovery tools and skills learned during rehab treatments.

Group support meetings: Regular attendance at group meetings provides an important level of peer support and motivation. Recovering people are encouraged to attend 12-step group support programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Some support groups, such as SMART Recovery, also provide online group meetings that can be a valuable source of support if the person needs help at a time during the day when physical meetings aren't being held.

Sober living homes: Leaving the safety and supervision of a residential rehab program and returning to independent living may not always be recommended for some people. In some cases, going home may be associated with drug or alcohol abuse. Sober living homes provide a drug-free environment for people who have completed rehab treatments, but don't have a supportive, drug-free environment to go to.

Outpatient treatment: In some cases, outpatient rehab treatment programs can be used as a step-down for those who have completed an intensive inpatient rehab program, but still require ongoing therapy and supervised medication. While the structure of outpatient treatments and therapy sessions are equally as intensive as those offered in residential addiction treatment facilities, the person is no longer required to reside at the center.

If you are caught in the continuous cycle of relapse, or wish know learn more about our addiction treatment programs in Irvington, then call us today at (877) 804-1531.

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