How to Support Your Teen's Relapse Prevention Plan
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Having your teen finally get the help they need in treatment can stir up a few different emotions as their parent. On one hand, you feel at peace knowing that they are safe in getting assistance with their addiction, but on the other hand you may be experiencing anxiety of what will happen when they get back into the real world. You may be questioning whether or not this is actually the end of your teenager's substance abuse which is a valid concern as a parent.
The recommended time for an inpatient/outpatient treatment program is at least 90 days. This period of time is mostly devoted to changing the thinking of addictive behaviors to thoughts that are more suited to staying sober. Part of this shift entails putting together a relapse prevention plan to put into action once they leave the stable environment that a rehabilitation facility offers them. The best thing you can do is to support your teen's continued recovery as well as their relapse prevention plan is to understand what it means to their sobriety.
Putting together a relapse prevention plan is a great tool that rehabs use to help their clients plan for the unthinkable. Your teen will be instructed to write out the triggers that they recognize could lead them back to drug or alcohol use. To combat the triggers, your teen will list out options for dealing with the temptations or stressful situations they could face in their sobriety. By taking the time to sit with themselves to identify and plan ahead to avert a relapse, they can be better prepared once these circumstances go down.
Another aspect of a relapse prevention plan should include a maintenance program for their life in sobriety. Scheduling weekly 12-Step meetings, attending therapy, finding a sponsor for accountability, and determining what their living situation should impose is crucial for their success. Taking alcohol out of the house and locking up necessary prescriptions is one of the ways to consider protecting your teen's sobriety at all costs.
A relapse prevention plan is relatable to a fire drill. You put a plan of action together that lays out what to to when you are in the fire. You would not want to not panic but to have an idea of what your evacuation plan should be to protect yourself from the fire. The same goes with your teen's sobriety. One wrong decision can lead them straight back to the insanity of their addiction unless they have a strategy in place for these shaky times in their recovery.
With a relapse prevention plan, your teen has a better shot at long-term sobriety. You can also reap the rewards by having your teen better prepared to take on the world.
If you or an adolescent you know needs to get help for drug or alcohol abuse, Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center can give you the guidance that you deserve. Establishing a strong network of family and community can reinforce practices for living substance free.
Call us today to start living in your recovery: 662-598-4214
