Toward Lasting Sobriety: Relapse Prevention Strategies in Los Angeles

Recovery from substance misuse is challenging, with relapse rates running as high as 40% to 60%. In Los Angeles, triggers and barriers to your recovery are everywhere - a fast-paced lifestyle with its fair share of temptations and challenges. But here is where Relapse Prevention Strategies in Los Angeles become key to your lasting recovery - when you make it a commitment every day of your life going forward from here.

Relapse prevention refers to strategies that reduce your chances of going back to problematic patterns, like substance use, following a period of abstinence.

Linda Whiteside, Clinical Supervisor at the NuView Treatment Center, says, “Recovery is a challenging journey. Especially during the first 90 days of sobriety, many feel weak and are often faced with the temptation to use once again. But this is why relapse prevention is so crucial - it is not a one-time achievement, but a lifelong commitment that puts recovery at the front and center of your life.”

Relapse is a very common factor in recovery, and there are many reasons why one may relapse, such as:

• Temptations, like items, places, and people that remind you of substance use.
• Triggers, like cravings, withdrawal symptoms, homelessness, job instability, relationship troubles, stress, and so on.
• Physical health conditions, like chronic illnesses.
• Underlying mental health conditions, like anxiety, depression, and others.

Linda Whiteside says, “Unfortunately, relapse is often surrounded by stigma, as if it reflects a moral failing. In reality, relapse can be a challenge that occurs along the recovery journey - not a failure. When you acknowledge what happened, practice forgiveness, and reapply the recovery principles you have learned, relapse becomes something you can learn from and overcome.”

Relapse happens in three stages - emotional, mental, and physical. Identifying the early warning signs can help you reach out to your therapist and prevent relapse.

• Emotional Stage: During this stage, you might not be actively thinking about using substances, yet there are some emotional and behavioral signs that can lead to it. For instance, anxiety, anger, foregoing eating or sleeping, and social withdrawal.
• Mental Stage: You are of two minds; you want to use substances and stay away from them at the same time. You will find that the positive or pleasant memories related to substance use dominate the negative or unpleasant ones. So, you might consider striking a bargain and trying to get hold of substances again.
• Physical Stage: This is when you actively begin to use substances again. It is the stage where one can say that they have relapsed.

Linda Whiteside informs, “When you do not take actionable steps to prevent relapse at emotional and mental relapse stages, physical relapse becomes very likely. This is why identifying the first red flags as soon as they appear becomes key to preventing relapse.”

There are not one, but several relapse prevention techniques that can be incorporated into relapse prevention. The major ones are:

Marlatt’s Model

The oldest and among the widely followed models, Marlatt's model says that a lack of healthy coping mechanisms leads to relapse, as substance use becomes an unhealthy substitute for these systems.

The key is to equip you with healthy, strong coping skills that you can always rely on.

Dynamic Model of Relapse

Proposed by Marlatt and Witkiewitz, it says that distal and proximal risks can contribute to relapse. Distal risks refer to genetic predispositions, while proximal risks refer to more immediate high-risk circumstances.

The dynamic model of relapse emphasizes a strong social support system and 12-Step recovery programs like the ones Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) follow to prevent relapse.

Gorski-CENAPS Relapse Prevention Model

The Gorski-CENAPS model says that relapse prevention requires the following:

• Awareness: Psychoeducation, which revolves around understanding the risks and the negative consequences of a relapse.
• Self-Knowledge: You need to identify warning signs in yourself, like the triggers that can lead to a relapse.
• Self-Regulation: Physical, emotional, and social regulation skills that allow you to manage your triggers and cravings.
• Coping Skills: Healthy coping skills allow you to effectively deal with triggers, cravings, and high-risk conditions.
• Change: Reviewing the recovery plan.
• Maintenance: A follow-up plan.
• Social Support: Identify your loved ones who enable recovery so that you can reach out to them for motivation, encouragement, and support.

To create an effective relapse prevention plan, you collaborate with your therapist to make it holistic, personalized, and specific to your needs and goals. Some of the common steps to building an effective relapse prevention plan are as follows:

• Previous History of Substance Use: Key factors are carefully considered first, like the duration of substance use, specific circumstances or emotional states connected with increased use, and - if there has been a prior relapse - the circumstances that contributed to it.
• Identifying Triggers: You and your therapist brainstorm all the triggers that can lead to substance use. From withdrawal symptoms to near and dear ones who enable substance use are some of the triggers you will consider.
• Then, your therapist will create a list and educate you regarding these triggers and their negative consequences.
• Managing Cravings: Triggers lead to cravings, which can undo your recovery. Therefore, effective relapse prevention will involve effectively managing cravings by using coping mechanisms, cognitive restructuring, urge surfing, and other techniques.
• Preventative Tools: Preventative tools like a personalized aftercare plan, step-down outpatient rehab options, telehealth services, health and wellness practices, and self-care are the preventative tools integrated into your daily routine to prevent relapse.
• Lifestyle Changes: Once you embark on recovery, your life can never be the same as it was before. Therefore, you need to make lifestyle modifications, which will basically focus on self-care and managing triggers and cravings.
• Personalized Aftercare: Your recovery is a journey that does not end with rehab. An aftercare plan, including ongoing therapy/counseling, medication management, and peer support, is crucial in preventing relapse.
• Informal Peer Groups: Informal peer groups like AA, NA, and SMART Recovery play a crucial role during your recovery. They provide a safe environment where you can share your experiences, find encouragement, and take ownership of your recovery. They are integral to your aftercare and relapse prevention.

Substance misuse is a chronic condition, albeit it does not occur in isolation. An estimated 10 million in the U.S. struggle with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions, which is known as a dual diagnosis.

Substance use and mental health conditions are like a toxic relationship, which exacerbate and worsen each other. If left untreated, these underlying mental health concerns can lead to a relapse. This is why dual diagnosis treatment is key for a holistic, lasting recovery.

Dual diagnosis treatment is personalized to your needs and goals, but commonly involves:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Medication management
• Peer support.

Linda Whiteside says, “At NuView’s Los Angeles facility, we observe that 3 out of 4 clients struggle with co-occurring mental health conditions. This is why our dual diagnosis programs are catered to a lasting healing and recovery, which is key to preventing relapse as well.”

A fast-paced city like Los Angeles comes with its own set of triggers and stressors that can make relapse a huge risk, which already runs as high as 60% in the case of substance use disorders. This is why trusted rehab centers in Los Angeles, like NuView, emphasize personalized relapse prevention for lasting recovery.

Linda Whiteside says, “At NuView, we have observed that our personalized relapse prevention plans reduce relapse risk by almost 50%. This is why we create specific relapse prevention plans tailored to your needs and goals for maximum benefits.”

In the end, what you have to remember is this - relapse is a common risk in recovery. Even if you have relapsed, do not consider it a failure. Reach out to your therapist quickly so that you can relearn and reapply recovery principles to overcome this challenge toward lasting recovery.

Having been through rehab or treatment, relapse can feel harsh and overwhelming. At NuView, we equip you with personalized relapse prevention tools so that you can thrive in your recovery and beyond.

Our team is here for you every step of the way. Please reach out to us at (323) 307-7997 to begin healing today!

1. What should I do if I feel close to relapsing?

Reaching out to your therapist or support system early can break the emotional and behavioral patterns before they escalate into physical relapse.

2. Can relapse prevention work if I have relapsed several times before?

Yes, even prior relapses can often provide key insights that can strengthen a more personalized and effective prevention plan.

3. Can relapse prevention be done while attending school or work in Los Angeles?

Yes, Los Angeles treatment centers offer flexible outpatient and telehealth options designed to fit into daily responsibilities.

4. Does relapse prevention only focus on substance use?

No, relapse prevention also focuses on underlying patterns leading to substance use, such as co-occurring mental health conditions, for a lasting recovery.

5. Is relapse prevention covered by insurance?

Yes, relapse prevention is covered by insurance. You can check with your insurance provider to understand your coverage, or call NuView at (323) 307-7997 - and we can verify your coverage for you.