Relapse Prevention Techniques

Completing a residential program is a key achievement, and the physicians and staff members at The Ridge understand that this is just the beginning of your recovery process. It is important to understand relapse prevention techniques. While a patient undergoes addiction aftercare, it can sometimes be difficult to deal with cravings and avoid dangerous triggers than can cause relapse.

Strategies for Addiction Aftercare

• In AA and NA, you’ll learn the mantra “one day at a time”, and truly, this is something you should always keep in mind when developing relapse prevention strategies. Ongoing sobriety is a day-to-day challenge that you can overcome with patience and clear expectations. Take on challenges as they come, and recognize that feeling overwhelmed will only negatively steer you toward potential relapse. Be confident in yourself and understand that you had the power to get through residential treatment, and you have the power to keep going through addiction aftercare.
• After you’ve built that self-confidence to work toward long-term recovery, you need to maintain the positive behaviors you embodied during treatment. Some of the most important ongoing relapse prevention strategies are to: eat well, sleep regularly, talk through your emotions, and attend weekly meetings in an accredited outpatient program and frequent AA or NA meetings for social support. Don’t hold anything in; while it may feel like you’re the only one struggling through addiction recovery, know that there are many other people who understand your feelings and are there to help and support you through rehab aftercare.
• If it’s too difficult to maintain these positive behaviors, or if you feel yourself slipping into negativity or self-destructive actions, distract yourself by exercising, call a friend or a sponsor to discuss your feelings, or attend an AA or NA meeting for support with relapse prevention.