Recovery from alcohol dependency or substance abuse can take time, and relapse can happen during the recovery process. While relapse is always possible, there are some things that can be done to help prevent relapse from occurring. If someone is looking for relapse prevention in Baltimore County, the professionals at Bergand Group, can help.
What is Relapse?
Relapse is a return to substance use after a period abstinence. Often relapse occurs because the individual is suffering from withdrawal and having difficulty utilizing relapse prevention strategies. The threat of relapse never completely goes away.
How to Prevent Relapse
The professional substance abuse counselors at Bergand Group can help the recovering individual prevent relapse by helping them understand stages of relapse, recognize the triggers that could lead to relapse, strategies to deal with those triggers, and how to find help and support.
Relapse Stages
Relapse prevention in Baltimore County does not happen in a vacuum. There are stages to relapse, and recognizing those stages can help with prevention.
- Emotional: the individual may be angry and socially withdraws. Active using isn’t being considered, but behaviors may be setting the stage for relapse.
- Mental: here the individual is fighting that internal battle over the desire to use and the desire to keep moving forward with recovery.
- Physical: it’s at this stage that relapse actually occurs.
Triggers
Triggers are those things that can lead to a return of destructive behaviors. Because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recover, there are is also no one-size-fits-all list of triggers. Knowing triggers can help a client avoid those people, places or situations that are associated with substance abuse.
Prevention Strategies
The substance abuse professionals at Bergand Group can help clients develop strategies to prevent relapse. Those strategies include:
- Understanding individual triggers and how to mitigate or avoid them.
- Asking for help and where to find help. Having a sponsor can make a huge difference in the recovery process.
- Recognizing the stages of relapse and what to do when in one of those stages.
Relapse Prevention in Baltimore County Maryland
For relapse prevention in Baltimore County, contact the professionals at Bergand Group today, and keep on the road to recovery.
