Sarasota Alcohol Rehab Center: How to Help a Recovering Addict or Alcoholic

Sarasota Alcohol Rehab Center: Recovery Is an Ongoing Process

If you have a loved one that has been in the depths of addiction, your biggest hope and dream is to see them recover from their addiction. After watching the impacts of drug or alcohol addiction on your loved one, you are relieved when they take steps to overcome their addiction with the help of an addiction treatment program at a Sarasota alcohol rehab center. While making this decision should be celebrated, it is important to remember that attending addiction treatment is merely the first step in their lifelong journey of addiction recovery.

During addiction treatment at a Sarasota alcohol rehab center, patients can complete any necessary alcohol or drug detox processes and engage in various addiction therapy methods that will help them heal from any underlying emotions or traumas that have contributed to their addictive behaviors. While patients learn methods for relapse prevention in treatment, it is important to remember that addiction treatment does not cure someone from addiction but rather helps them gain clarity and understanding about the nature of addiction to better equip them with the tools to maintain sobriety.

Maintaining long-term addiction recovery requires ongoing work and a focus on maintaining sobriety after attending a Sarasota alcohol rehab center. Even when you are living in sobriety, life will still happen and difficult times or triggers present themselves. As these triggers present themselves, it is more crucial than ever for recovering alcoholics and addicts to have the ongoing support of loved ones and continued development of relapse prevention techniques to ensure that they can remain on the road to recovery.

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, call WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today at (877) 640-7820 to learn how we can help.

Warning Signs of Relapse

It is often thought that if someone relapses, it is a rash decision that was made and reflects on a person’s willingness and desire to stay committed to their recovery process. The truth is relapse is a part of many people’s journey in addiction recovery that is often due to a build-up of triggers or stressors that have presented themselves. As a loved one to someone in addiction recovery, there are warning signs that you can be aware of that will indicate to you when your loved one may need support or intervention.

Warning signs of relapse can include:

1. Sudden changes in usual behavior
2. Isolation
3. Avoiding sober activities and fun that they once engaged in
4. Neglecting to talk about feelings or behaviors with others
5. Not attending addiction recovery meetings that they once attended before
6. Experiencing depression
7. Feeling a heightened sense of stress
8. Glamorizing past substance abuse
9. Spending time with people that they once used drugs or alcohol with

Relapse behaviors come in different forms and relapses can be identified in different ways such as emotional relapse, mental relapse, or physical relapse. The different types of relapse are characterized by the following:

Emotional Relapse

This is often the first stage of relapse. This is characterized by the person still not thinking about returning to alcohol or drug use but finding that their emotions or behaviors are worsening. During an emotional relapse, the following signs may be present:

• Mood swings
• Isolation
• Poor hygiene
• Not using coping strategies for emotional regulation
• Not sharing emotions or thoughts with others
• Avoiding problems
• Poor sleep schedule and patterns

Mental Relapse

This stage of elapse will happen when a person cannot address the emotional relapse symptoms. During this relapse stage, individuals may debate about using drugs or alcohol again or searching for a way to escape. Common signs of mental relapse are:

• Experiencing cravings or an increase in thinking about using again
• Glamorizing substance abuse
• Planning to use drugs or alcohol again
• Having a false belief that they can control their use should they start again
• Minimizing the consequences of their use

Physical Relapse

This stage of relapse is characterized by the person returning to substance abuse. Although they may have returned to using drugs or alcohol, it does not mean that they are hopeless. It is crucial that intervention happens early and gets the individual the support they need to get back on track for recovery.

5 Tips to Help a Recovering Addict or Alcoholic

Supporting a loved one who is in recovery is important to their success, but you must also maintain your health and well-being along the way. Here are 5 tips to help a person that is recovering from alcohol addiction:

1. Allow time to listen and support them actively. When your loved one needs someone to talk to as they process emotions and thoughts that are occurring, it is important that they feel heard and understood as addiction can feel like a lonely place to be. Have an open conversation that is free of judgment that will foster trust and understanding within your relationship.
2. Provide encouragement and support. Empower your loved ones to recognize the strength that they have within them to continue with their journey to recovery. It takes strength and courage to move towards sobriety and it is helpful to be reminded of the steps they have already taken toward a new lifestyle in recovery.
3. Educate yourself on addiction and recovery. Having a clear understanding of the nature of addiction will allow you to approach and support your loved one with empathy and compassion.
4. Set healthy boundaries. Supporting your loved one does not mean that you have to do anything they ask at any time. Establishing healthy boundaries focused on supporting them to remain in recovery rather than enabling them will help foster long-term recovery.
5. Practice self-care. Your health and well-being matter too. You must be taking care of your needs for you to be present and open to supporting your loved one in recovery.

What to Do If a Recovering Addict or Alcoholic Relapses

When a recovering addict or alcoholic experiences a relapse, it can produce significant feelings of shame and guilt. It is often hard to admit that you have relapsed due to feelings of fear of how loved ones will react or what they will think. Providing support in a nonjudgmental way will affirm to your loved one that you still love and care about them even after experiencing a relapse. During this time, express your concern for them while also encouraging them to reach out for support from a sponsor or therapist. Offer options for treatment or addiction recovery support and ask how you can support them throughout this difficult time. Positive encouragement and empowering them to get back on track while still holding healthy boundaries that avoid enabling behaviors will increase the chances of your loved ones overcoming their relapse and recovering.

Sarasota Alcohol Rehab Center: Get Help With Recovery From Addiction at WhiteSands

At our Sarasota alcohol rehab center, we offer patients a comprehensive treatment program that focuses on the individual needs and goals for recovery for all patients. With the support of our continuum of care, patients are offered addiction treatment support that will empower them to understand their root causes of addiction while offering life skills development and tools for relapse prevention that will help foster long-term addiction recovery. Our team is committed to patients’ success in addiction treatment and provides long-term treatment supports that ensures our patients can fully engage in treatment and feel confident in their abilities to maintain a life in addiction recovery. Contact WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today to hear about our whole-person integrated approach to addiction treatment that will enable patients to heal from their addiction within their body, mind, and spirit.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.