After the darkness of active addiction, the relief of sobriety can make a person feel invincible. It’s important to remember, however, that long-term recovery is an ongoing journey with many ups and downs. Located in Portsmouth, Virginia, Safe Harbor Recovery Center treats people who are struggling with addiction and wants to ensure that they and their loved ones know how to maintain the success they have had in treatment once they complete our program.
What Comes Next
Treatment might be the end of a person’s substance misuse, but recovery is bigger than just quitting a drug. The underlying issues that can fuel addiction and relapse, including mental health conditions, difficult family dynamics, and isolation, require continuing efforts that extend beyond the time a person spends in a treatment program. In fact, the transition from treatment is a time when a person’s relapse risk is especially high.
Research has found that when clients participate in aftercare following treatment, they are less likely to relapse. That’s why Safe Harbor offers Continuing Care as part of our overall continuum of support. Each client is different, and their care plans are customized to reflect that uniqueness, but some of the pieces that could be included in their plan for after they complete treatment include:
- Stepping down to a lower level of care, to give them more time to practice what they learned in the earliest stages of treatment
- Moving into a sober living home, where they can live with other people in recovery, while they complete outpatient treatment – this is especially helpful for people who don’t have a stable, sober home environment, or whose homes are located too far away from the services they need
- Joining recovery groups like AA, NA, or SMART Recovery, where they can get support from other people who have fought addiction, and begin to look for a sponsor who will guide them in their ongoing recovery journey
- Suggestions for mental health treatment options
- Chronic pain management resources to help them address physical pain without addictive substances
- Help in setting up family therapy to support their loved ones
- Holistic options like nutrition, exercise, spiritual exploration, and stress management strategies
- An invitation to participate in alumni events, where they can share their story with new clients who enter treatment, have fun with other people in recovery, and continue to learn about recovery
- The Caredfor App, which offers connection with other alumni and staff, sobriety tracker, gratitude journal, wellness challenges, articles, and other resources
Identifying Relapse Risks
When a person is engaged in Continuing Care, they are more likely to interact with people who know the signs of relapse. Either way, they and their loved ones should be aware of the red flags that can signal a relapse is on the horizon:
- Anger
- Stress
- Cravings
- Boredom
- Loneliness
- Poor self-care
- Sleep disturbances
- Old habits returning
- Believing they are cured
- Black and white thinking
- Making excuses to stop working on their recovery plan
- Spending time with people who don’t support their sobriety
How to Avoid Relapses
If you or someone you love is showing signs that relapse is imminent, the best time to address the risk is immediately. If a relapse can be prevented or addressed right away, it is much easier for a person to return to recovery than if they spend a longer time off track. Some steps to take to head off a relapse include:
- Disposing of drugs or alcohol. If the person has already acquired substances, get rid of them immediately. Pour it down the sink, throw it in the trash, or let someone you trust dispose of it after getting out of the situation safely.
- Getting support. A sponsor, trusted friend, therapist, family member, or other person who cares and will encourage healthy choices can be an immense help.
- Going to therapy. If you don’t have a therapist already, now is a great time to get one.
- Identifying triggers – Figure out what triggered the relapse and how to address it in the future, so that it does not continue to be an issue.
- Creating other ways to be happy. Without their drug of choice, people in recovery have to get creative about ways to bring joy into their lives.
- Returning to treatment. Not every relapse means a person needs to go back to treatment, but there might be times when it’s a good idea to consider returning for a “booster” and to get professional guidance on ways to update your treatment plan.
At Safe Harbor Recovery Center, we want all of our clients to experience more than just sobriety. We want them to find a sustained, life-changing recovery. We are here to walk alongside them, as they make the changes that will bring that wish into reality.