By: Lakeview Health
Maintaining Sobriety with Relapse Prevention
When it comes to drug and alcohol addiction relapse happens. When recovering from addiction it is essential to never let your guard down. I have been in recovery for some time now and it is not uncommon to hear at a twelve step meeting of an individual relapsing after being sober for ten years, twenty years or even thirty years. You never know what circumstances are going to surface or what trigger may occur that could cause a relapse. No matter how much sober time an individual has relapse is always a possibility. In this day and age it is more common than not for an individual to begin their journey in recovery in addiction treatment or drug rehab. A quality facility will take its clients through various types of relapse prevention programs. Relapse prevention programs will work with clients so that they can learn not only what their “triggers” are but techniques to prevent a relapse from occurring. Addiction is a progressive disease and if a relapse does occur the alcohol and drug abuse is likely to be worse than ever. In order to achieve long term sobriety it is essential to learn how to deal with “triggers” and the steps that need to be taken when “triggers” surface. If recovery from addiction was easy than everyone would be able to get and stay sober. The individuals who have the most success recovering from alcohol and drug abuse have been through relapse prevention programs and know what they have to do in order to maintain their very precious sobriety. Getting sober is one thing. Staying sober is another.
