Alcohol Relapse Prevention

Alcoholism is a disease that requires treatment for life. The recovering alcoholic must stay vigilant in their recovery, and sometimes a return to alcohol rehab or enrolling in an intensive outpatient program may be necessary to stop an alcohol relapse from happening. Call Treatment Solutions Network today at 877-417-6237 for free help in finding the best programs to keep you or your loved one sober.

Why do Alcoholics Relapse?

Relapses happen for a variety of reasons - from a sudden family crisis to the alcoholic simply not putting enough effort into their recovery. But there are plenty of successful alcohol relapse prevention strategies that can help. Remember: most relapses ARE preventable.

Steer clear of addiction-related "people, places and things."

One of the most important alcohol relapse prevention tools is to avoid spending time with those folks who used to be your drinking buddies - folks who in many cases are untreated alcoholics. Likewise, it is important to avoid socializing in bars or other drinking establishments that used to be your favorite haunts. Don't kid yourself into thinking you can hang out at the old bars and simply drink a "club soda." That might work for the first visit, but in time the temptation will prevail and - BAM! - you've just had yourself a relapse.

Do people on diets hang out all day at McDonald's? No, of course not. And alcoholics in recovery don't do well hanging out with drinkers and in bars. It's that simple.

Eliminate alcohol-related items from your home

Obviously, an alcoholic who still keeps beer in the fridge or liquor in the cabinet is setting themselves up for a relapse. But some recovering alcoholics fail to toss out other items that can spark thoughts of drinking, such as cooking sherry, mouthwash, or matchbooks from their favorite bar. Those things, too, must go.

Even the strongest of us slip and fall - make sure you're around those who will pick you up

Successful alcohol relapse prevention requires the recovering alcoholic to ask for help when he or she needs it. A relapse begins long before the alcoholic drinks again - it starts when the alcoholic returns to their old, unhealthy ways of thinking.

When this begins to happen - when the recovering drinker loses control over feelings of anger or loneliness, for example - it is up to the alcoholic to pick up the phone or march right out the door and to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

For help over the phone, recovering alcoholics can turn to their sponsor in a 12-step group, a professional addiction counselor, or the caring treatment consultants at Treatment Solutions Network 877-417-6237. Our free treatment referral service can refer you to additional resources such as alcohol rehab facilities. Some recovering alcoholics, when they sense they are about to relapse, find it helpful to check into a rehab facility. Doing so lets the alcoholic focus solely on strengthening their recovery, without having to deal with the stresses of work and family life.

Relapses happen - but don't take them lightly

Just because a recovering alcoholic has a relapse doesn't mean they don't have what it takes to stay sober. As one court judge who works with addicts, Amanda Williams, told the Florida Times-Union: "Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease."

So even though relapses happen, those in recovery dust themselves off and get right back on the sobriety horse - because sober life is so much happier and fulfilling than life at the bottom of a bottle.

If you've relapsed, don't get overwhelmed with guilt or self-pity. You can and WILL overcome your disease, and your friends in recovery will not judge or condemn you.

But while relapse is not the end of the world, a commitment to future alcohol relapse prevention is important. There are those who relapse and never make it back to recovery - they spend the rest of their life haunted by the demons of untreated alcoholism.

And it only takes one relapse to land a drunk driver in jail or the county morgue. Kim Abeyta ended up in a New Mexico jail cell after her alcohol relapse caused an arrest for drunk driving. Abeyta had drank four vodka miniatures when she was pulled over while driving home from a convenience store.

"Very embarrassing, very humiliating," Abeyta told the Albuquerque Journal. "What mortified me the most was my daughter, having to be taken to jail and leaving her behind. She's 13, and it's embarrassing to her."

Don't let your family have to go through a similar ordeal. Call Treatment Solutions Network today 877-417-6237 for help in finding programs that specialize in alcohol relapse prevention.

No matter your insurance, be it Cigna, Aetna, Humana, Blue Cross / Blue Shield (BCBS), Assurant, Unicare, United Health Care, Anthem, Carefirst, Asuris Northwest Health, Golden Rule, Celtic Insurance, Fortis, Health Net, Kaiser, Vista, Shelter, Wellpoint, Tri Care, Accordia or even Medicare, and state insurance - we can help you with alcohol relapse prevention. We also offer many affordable self pay options as well as luxury drug rehab