Addiction can be crippling and lead to feelings of hopelessness. However, treatment can spare you from the constant loop of those emotions. Recovery from addiction is not always linear. Each journey requires a roadmap specific to the individual on it. Outpatient programs offer support and the proper tools to help you maintain a healthy recovery. However, not taking the necessary steps to get and stay sober can cause you to relapse.
What Is Relapse?
Relapse occurs when someone suffering from a substance use disorder returns to suffering after abstaining. It is very common and can happen to anybody struggling to stay sober. However, relapse is not something that happens overnight.
There are three stages to relapse: emotional, mental, and physical. It starts in the mind first with how you feel. Then, your feelings intertwine with your thoughts. If not handled properly, those can start to develop into physical actions.
The initial trigger could be the anxiety of creating and sustaining a new normal. From that anxiety, you begin to think about how you used to numb yourself. Once your thoughts progress, you may start neglecting yourself physically again. An example is not staying on a schedule with therapy and proper sleep habits. You may even start neglecting to wash your face or brush your teeth. Once a lack of care begins to brew, it opens the door to total self-neglect, making it almost impossible not to relapse.
Protection against relapse is so essential after getting sober. In the same way, your addiction may not have developed overnight. A relapse can creep up on you months before you see it coming.
Why Protection Against Relapse Is a Must
Sometimes when people get sober, they want to get back to their life. However, that is not the reality of recovery. Recovery is a lifelong journey of getting and staying better. There must be a new normal for having fun, handling grief and challenging emotions, and ultimately living.
Although you are different now, things that come with life are not. Death, parties, and hard times will always exist. You must find healthy ways to handle this new world of unknowns and uncertainties.
When you have measures of protection and tools to stay sober, you are less susceptible to relapsing. Understanding the root of your addiction is crucial. A treatment program can help you discover and manage the underlying issues.
Types of Treatment Programs for Addiction
Many different types of treatment exist for substance use disorders (SUDs). There are detox, inpatient, and outpatient programs. Treatments of choice allow you to have a sense of control in your life again. Being open to suggestions from medical providers is a must as well.
Detox Programs
Detoxing is a necessary form of treatment that allows you to withdraw from substances in a safe and supported environment. The process of detoxing can be uncomfortable, dangerous, and unpredictable. Having an environment where people who are licensed to care for individuals while in that state is essential.
Inpatient Programs
When you live with severe addiction, inpatient treatment is where you’ll go after detoxing. In this stage and type of treatment, you are living in a rehabilitation site for usually a minimum of 30 days. During this time, you receive inpatient care and are monitored by staff. They help you stabilize your sobriety before returning to society.
Outpatient Programs
After inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment usually occurs. However, some may not go through the detox process in a facility, and they may not experience inpatient treatment but start their journey with outpatient treatment. Different forms of outpatient programs exist, offering a wide variety of intensities.
How Outpatient Programs Offer Consistent Relapse Prevention
Outpatient treatment is where you receive treatment for your addiction while living at home or in a sober living facility. You may go to classes and meetings or see a therapist, but you’re not living in a facility and being away from society like you would in inpatient treatment.
As a transition from inpatient treatment or as a start in recovery, outpatient treatment programs are essential. Outpatient programs allow you to attend to your work and life responsibilities while getting addiction treatment.
Sober Life Outpatient Programs
Here at Sober Life, we provide various levels of outpatient care. Not only do we offer a timeline of treatment to carry you through your first six months. Those six months are filled with different therapies to propel you into a healthier you. Although, as we know, sobriety and recovery are lifelong journeys, we also have the option of continued therapy, a family program, and an alumni program. This allows you to stay connected with your peers.
Our alumni program consists of the following:
- Biweekly check-in meetings
- Fun sober activities to participate in and an annual event
- On-site panels to participate in to reach others in the community
- Access to our sober life app and social media tool for graduates and staff members
- Resources you need to ensure long-term sobriety
We choose to offer all of these tools and platforms of support because we know how the inconsistencies of your past kept you in your addiction.
Finding yourself in addiction can feel devastating, but you can recover. Since addiction is a cyclical disease, it’s important to take proactive steps to avoid relapse. Relapse does not just happen out of nowhere. It is important to know the stages and the signs associated with them. Outpatient programs are essential for long-term sobriety and can offer the tools you need for a successful recovery. Sober Life offers outpatient programs that can prepare you for a brand new life in long-term recovery. These programs offer support and a sense of community that you will need to live sober. You don’t have to stay in active addiction. For more information on our programs, call us at (619) 542-9542.
