Why You Need a Relapse Prevention Plan
Why You Need a Relapse Prevention Plan
Relapsing is very detrimental to your recovery progress, and very dangerous to your health. Check out our guide on why you need a relapse prevention plan.
Keyword(s): relapse prevention plan
Many alcoholics and drug addicts you have stopped using multiple times. In fact, some of us quit every day.
Only to start again the next morning.
Too many people confuse recovery from drug and alcohol addiction as a plan to stop drinking and doing drugs.
In fact, it is much different than stopping.
And one of the essential parts of recovery is a relapse prevention plan.
Creating a relapse prevention plan is like constructing a safety net for your sobriety. In the best of circumstances, you don't ever need a safety net.
But if you ever do get in a life-threatening situation, you'll be glad it's there.
How Does Relapse Occur?
We are all familiar with the three-fold illness of alcoholism. It's a physical, mental, and spiritual disease.
And just as people recover physically first and then mentally and then spiritually the reverse occurs in a relapse. Addicts and alcoholics begin the relapse process far before picking up their substance of choice.
Some even call this process BUD-ing. The word is an acronym for Building Up to a Drink.
The relapse begins spiritually. Resentments and anger cut people off from their connection to spirit.
It progresses to a mental insanity. The obsession for a drink or a drug comes back.
The obsession doesn't necessarily mean someone is thinking about drinking or doing drugs 24/7. It isn't like being obsessed with a new romance, or your favorite new song on the radio.
The strange mental obsession of alcoholism and drug addiction tells sufferers it will be different this time.
Even if every single time before has ended in disaster. The mental relapse means the drug addict or alcoholic forgets the pain and suffering the substance always leads to.
Once the mind decides to pick up again it is nearly impossible to stop.
Picking Up a Drink is The End of the Relapse Process
Many people believe that physically picking up a drink or a drug is the start of the relapse. In fact, it is the end result of building up to the drink or drug.
As a result, a relapse prevention plan can head off the process before it progresses. That small flash of anger doesn't have to flare into a full blown resentment with the right plan.
Unfortunately, once a person picks up it is next to impossible to stop. The physical addiction sets in and your body requires the drink or drug to function.
As a result, stopping relapse before it starts saves lives.
The Consequences of Relapse
There is a tremendous focus on the news and in digital media on the dramatic increase in overdose deaths from the opioid epidemic in America. Indeed, drug overdoses are killing many Americans.
Drugs are now the number one cause of accidental deaths in America. Drug-related deaths are more numerous than deaths from gun violence and fatal traffic accidents.
In every state, drug overdose statistics continue to rise.
But alcoholism is also a deadly killer. Alcohol-related deaths have risen nearly 40% in America since 2002.
The Centers for Disease Control estimate that excessive alcohol use leads to approximately 90,000 deaths in the United States every year. These deaths shorten the life span of the victims by an average of 30 years.
Drug and alcohol addiction are fatal. Building a relapse prevention plan can save your life.
Experts Recommend A Relapse Prevention Plan
The National Institute on Drug Abuse recognizes the importance of a treatment plan to help drug addicts and alcoholics to stay clean and sober.
They recommend a treatment plan be continually evaluated for the changing needs of the alcoholic or drug addict. A "long-term follow-up to prevent relapse" is essential to recovery.
By creating a personal relapse prevention plan and continually strengthening your safety net you'll be more likely to stay stopped.
Components of A Relapse Prevention Plan
For drug addicts and alcoholics in recovery, a relapse prevention plan has many components. Integrating these aspects into your daily life will create a foundation for long-term sobriety:
- Join a Group: Get involved in a 12-Step group and get active with that group.
- Build a Team: Get phone numbers of other people who are serious about recovery and use them. You don't have to be on the edge to pick up the phone.
- Attend 12-Step Meetings: Regular attendance at meetings is an essential part of relapse prevention.
- Practice The Steps: Get a sponsor and start practicing the steps.
- Pass It On: Helping others will help you too.
- Get Outside Help: Regular meetings with your doctors and mental health experts is required for healthy sobriety.
- Don't Pick Up: Don't pick up the first one.
All of this can be accomplished if you keep it to one day at a time.
Keep it in the Day
One of the key components of any 12-step recovery program is the idea of One Day at a Time. We may celebrate sober anniversaries, but these beautiful medallions are often called 24-hour chips in disguise.
They are wonderful reminders of how far we have come, and great to carry as a keepsake. But relapse prevention starts with focusing on a single day of sobriety and clean time.
Today is the day. You can build your relapse prevention plan starting today.
You can also stay away from just one drink or one drug today. You just have to stay away from the first one.
Many drug alcoholics and drug addicts remain focused on their daily program by carrying a 24-hour token.
You don't need to relapse to pick up a new 24-hour token. You can rededicate yourself to your sobriety today with a reminder of the One Day at a Time program.
And remember, whatever time you have is worth celebrating.
Celebrate Your Day
You've probably heard the saying "I didn't get sober to be miserable."
Well, who would? For drug addicts and alcoholics in recovery, life can be happy, joyous, and free.
And certainly being clean and sober is its own reward. But why not celebrate your time?
The Token Shop can help you find the perfect recovery coin.
And nothing can revitalize your recovery like passing it on. Finding the perfect token coin for a friend or loved one in recovery is a gift to both you and them.
A blessing shared is a blessing doubled. Don't wait to share your time with a friend.
Visit our easy order page right now and find the perfect token keepsake for yourself or a loved one in recovery.