Exclusive Alcohol Addiction Relapse Prevention & Treatment Center in California

Learn more about relapse prevention at Bayside Marin in California

The issue of alcohol dependence is so pervasive that there are few people who have not been touched in some way by this insidious disease in California and the rest of the United States. Wreaking havoc on health, livelihoods, relationships, finances, and more, an addiction to alcohol can be difficult to overcome without professional help. Unlike individuals who have developed a dependence on illegal substances of abuse, men and women who are addicted to alcohol have to live in a world where their substance of choice is all around them and easily accessible.

For this reason, and many more, an individual’s completion of a residential treatment program at a rehab center for alcohol abuse is an occasion worth celebrating. From the discomfort of detox, to the challenges of individual, group, and experiential therapy, a stint in treatment consists of many experiences designed to challenge individuals towards growth.

Reasons why people relapse from alcohol

Without the supports of the treatment center, an individual is more vulnerable to temptation when he or she returns home. Once a person has completed his or her treatment plan and is preparing to exit residential treatment for alcohol abuse, he or she most likely will have concerns about the risk of relapse in the future. And while common on the road to recovery, relapse need not derail all the progress one made in treatment.

Even if one has relapsed in the past, there is still hope for a sustained recovery, and an examination into one’s own triggers can help individual minimize the likelihood of relapse in the future. While relapse cannot always be predicted, the following describes a few scenarios that are likely to contribute to a relapse:

• Unexpected, high levels of stress or anxiety
• Untreated symptoms of a mental health condition
• Being around others who are abusing alcohol
• Access to situations and places where one abused alcohol in the past
• Feeling isolated in one’s desire to live an alcohol-free life
• Major life transitions such as job loss, a key relationship ending, etc.
• Boredom
• The mistaken belief that one can control his or her drinking
• A failure to adhere to the suggestions laid out in an aftercare plan provided by the treatment center

While it is best to try to avoid any person or situation that may lead one to feel tempted to drink again, the reality is that the above scenarios are likely to occur at some point in each individual’s life. Stress and change are a normal part of the human experience, but they need not result in a relapse. However, should a relapse occur, individuals can still recover their sobriety by rededicating themselves to all the skills they acquired during their time at an alcohol addiction treatment center.

How to prevent relapse at Bayside Marin Treatment Center in California

Once a person has cleared his or her mind and body from alcohol, he or she will have gotten a glimpse into how good it feels to live a substance-free life. Logically, these individuals may fear falling back into the cycle of addiction and lose all they have worked for while in treatment. And while the risk of relapse is real, fortunately, there are tools and strategies that can help these men and women preserve their sobriety, and ward off setbacks to their health and wellbeing. Comprehensive aftercare planning will be a prominent part of any quality treatment program, and will likely include suggestions like those listed below:

• Be sure to play an active role in your aftercare planning process. Voice your concerns, ask questions, make suggestions, and ask for clarification if anything is unclear.
• Join a 12-step support group like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to gain support from other who have also struggled with addiction.
• Make your physical and emotional health a priority each day.
• Create a daily schedule for yourself and stick to it. Fill your days with new hobbies and interests that will help keep your mind off drinking.
• Practice diligent self-care, and work on honing the coping skills and self-soothing behaviors that will help you in times of stress.
• Surround yourself with people that support your choice to remain alcohol-free, and avoid those individuals who may pressure you to drink.
• Avoid places and situations that you know may trigger cravings or tempt you to drink.
• Pay attention to how well your aftercare plan is working for you. If for any reason you feel like the recommended supports are inefficient in helping to keep you sober, feel free to enroll in treatment once again. There is no shame in accessing the care you need to remain steadfast in your sobriety.

Seeking alcohol addiction treatment at a trusted rehab center in California

Relapse is not a sign of weakness, rather, is a setback that signals that more support is likely needed in order to maintain the sobriety one worked so diligently to attain while in residential care. To learn more about forging your path to healing at the beautiful respite of Bayside Marin Treatment Center, we hope that you will reach out to us soon.

The staff at Bayside Marin Treatment Center, in California, are here to answer any questions you may have about our individualized treatment planning, and the ways we prepare patients for success in sobriety with an aftercare plan designed specifically for them.