Relapse Prevention

YOU CAN RECOVER

Well, this is really the crux of the issue isn’t? I mean, we’ve all quit. Sworn off. Said, “I’ll never do that again” or said, “I’m not going back to him or to her or to that situation!” Or thought, “If I do that again, I will just die.” But inevitably, drugs and alcohol have pulled you back into a lifestyle that on the surface makes zero sense, but when looked at rationally, shows that in essence, you are simply repeating the pattern of your traumatic upbringing or history.

So how do we prevent relapse? How do you stay sober? If it were that easy for the addict, you wouldn’t need a treatment center. You wouldn’t need outside help. You wouldn’t need 12 step groups. Or Smart recovery. Or psychotherapists. Or psychiatrists. So how can you conquer this?

At Lifesync Malibu Healing Center, we have a professional team that is highly skilled aiding addicts and alcoholics recover from alcoholism and addiction. By utilizing simple tools that may not be initially easy to embrace and practice, they are extremely effective in reducing suffering maintaining sobriety.

Relapse Prevention

Relapse Prevention groups are a core feature of our treatment program because we realize that once you leave our center, the stresses and pressures of life will return. The triggers of old relationships and new ones will present themself, and sooner or later the pressures of life build up and the temptation to drink or use becomes real. In those times of trouble, we want you to be well equipped to stay sober and maintain your recovery.

Relapse Prevention Plan

At LifeSync Malibu Healing Center we have a multifaceted relapse prevention program that will help you stay sober and live a victorious life. Our counselors and therapists will guide you through an individualized plan that will prepare you for the stresses and rigors of sobriety.

You may have tried this before and failed or this may be your first time in recovery. Either way, you must be asking yourself can I get better and stay that way? The answer is a resounding YES! But you are going to have to work at it. And that’s why our program will provide you with the skills or coping mechanisms needed to get sober and stay sober. We will help you get better with relapse prevention!

We often get asked why people relapse and over the years we know that there are many. many reasons why people relapse. At the core however, we have noticed some patterns of behavior that will predict a relapse.

Patterns of Behavior that will predict a relapse

It is often stated that the relapse happens way before the person themselves takes the first drink or uses their first drug. Addiction can be described as a vice grip in your gut slowly twisting and getting tighter and tighter over time. Sometimes weeks or even months will pass before things become critical. In some cases, strong resentments towards a loved one or an employer are the cause. Other times, fears (rational and irrational) grow out of control and the sickness of worry leads to the relapse. Still others have untreated traumatic or painful memories that appear and lead to tremendous psychic pain. Untreated or undertreated mental health disorders are another major factor in leading back to drinking and using. This is called Dual Diagnosis aka co-occuring disorders.

Regardless of the cause, there is often a period of discomfort that builds and builds until something happens and then boom! Something changes in the neural pathways and the extremely potent midbrain pleasure centers of the brain demand relief. This relief is in the form of drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, the same voice that tells the addict or alcoholic to pick up, is the same voice that condemns them about 30 seconds after they pick up!

Relapse Prevention at LifeSync Malibu

Have you ever wondered, “how could this happen again?” or, “You were just in rehab why did you go out and use?” or, “After all this time, why did you have to pick up?” The guilt and shame over the last relapse is devastating.

To prevent a relapse from occurring, it is necessary to take a realistic look at addiction. Addiction is a chronic illness. It is classified as such in the medical literature and from time immemorial, people have suffered from problems of addiction. It is not something we have a cure for here in the 21st-century yet. It is something that we learn to deal with and manage much in the same way we deal with and manage diabetes. For the diabetic, a high glucose is undetectable without the appropriate tools. The same also applies for the addict or alcoholic. When you come to Lifesync Malibu you will receive a comprehensive program for taking care of yourself after you leave our center. Your recovery does not end when you leave and that’s why our relationship doesn’t end when you do either.

We have a really cool and fun alumni program that will help you stay connected and stay strong. Its free and we also offer a number of extracurricular activities that occur off-site. These are great ways to stay in touch and to remain current in your recovery.