Mental relapses can be particularly common with substance use disorders. However, relapse prevention therapy can go a long way toward helping you get back on track if you’re struggling to stay sober.
The skilled team at Promises offers addiction treatment programs that can help you understand your triggers and learn how to improve your chances of achieving long-term sobriety. With both residential and outpatient options available, there’s a program for everyone. Contact us at 888.483.7451 to learn more about our services today.
What Is Mental Relapse?
Often, people assume that a relapse occurs from one moment to the next, but that’s not the case. There are three main stages of addiction relapse: emotional, mental, and physical.
During an emotional relapse, you aren’t necessarily thinking about drugs or alcohol, but your emotions and behaviors are setting the stage for the desire to rely on substances once more. If this stage goes unchecked, you can enter mental relapse.
Mental relapse can lead you to experience an internal war. Part of you may want to remain sober, while the other part might want to return to substance misuse. Some of the most common symptoms of mental relapse are:
- Experiencing cravings
- Glamorizing past reliance on substances
- Hanging out with people who have active addictions
- Thinking about places, people, and things that remind you of substance misuse
- Thinking about ways to control substance misuse
- Missing meetings
- Planning your relapse
Bargaining is another crucial part of mental relapse. You may start considering scenarios in which it would be acceptable to turn to substances. For example, you might plan to drink a glass of wine at a party during the holidays. Bargaining can also include planning “controlled” relapses once or twice a year.
Relapse Prevention Strategies
Once you get to the mental relapse stage, physical relapse may not be far off. That doesn’t mean that you can’t prevent it from occurring, though.
Get Support
It’s essential that you reach out to your support system and let them know that you’re facing challenges. Speak with your sponsor or go to a meeting. Being alone is one of the worst things you can do if you’ve relapsed mentally.
Avoid Triggers
Addiction treatment programs focus on helping those who are trying to remain sober understand what their triggers are. Triggers can be particularly dangerous if you’ve relapsed mentally.
Stay away from people and places that remind you of substance misuse. Instead, try to surround yourself with everything that brings to mind your recovery.
Practice Mindfulness Techniques
Mindfulness strategies can be highly beneficial for those dealing with a mental relapse. Deep breathing and grounding exercises keep you connected to the present and can slow your thoughts down if they are racing.
Rely on Your Relapse Prevention Plan
Most treatment programs will encourage you to create a relapse prevention plan that clearly outlines every step you should take if you’re close to relapsing. Typically, this plan establishes who you can call for help in an emergency and what you should and shouldn’t do. It’s essential to follow this plan to the letter after a mental relapse.
Contact Promises Today for Relapse Prevention Therapy
If you’ve tried relapse prevention strategies and still find yourself struggling, getting assistance from professionals can be the right next step. At Promises, we provide individual and group therapy sessions in our inpatient and outpatient programs to help people understand the stages of relapse and how to prevent active substance misuse.
With a dedicated team to guide you through every step of the recovery process, you can receive the support you need to overcome addiction. Contact our team at 888.483.7451 or fill out our online contact form to get started on the path to better well-being today.