How Can Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention Help After Treatment?

Even after completing drug or alcohol addiction treatment, relapse can be a concern for many individuals. That’s why relapse prevention should always be a focus during rehab and beyond. While there are many ways to minimize the risk of relapse, mindfulness-based relapse prevention is especially effective. Explore the value of mindfulness during recovery and in the years to come.

Learning the Practice of Urge Surfing

Many people who are in the process of recovery will experience strong urges or cravings for their substance. All too often, clients think that those urges are a sign that they need or deserve drugs or alcohol. Urge surfing is a way of identifying and then riding those cravings rather than giving in to them.

On the way home from work, for example, you might crave a drink. You can note how you feel, spotting when the urge arises and when it recedes. Just like a wave on the shore, these urges come and go with time. Understanding this process, and refusing to give in to those urges, can help you steer clear of any potential relapse.

Improving the Ability to Manage Stress

Stress is part of everyone’s life. In fact, it would probably be impossible to live any life that is entirely free from all sources of stress. While stress is normal, it can cause people to feel overwhelmed. Sadly, feeling overwhelmed can often lead to relapse.

That’s why it is critical to learn how to manage stress safely and healthily. Many people develop drug or alcohol abuse problems as a way to handle stress, so sobriety means their default response to stress is no longer an option. The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives.

A mindfulness-based relapse prevention program allows you to explore the stress management techniques that work best for you. You might find that the stillness of meditation is the ideal way to focus inwards and release stress. You can also be mindful while practicing yoga or even while jogging outside on your favorite path.

Identifying Emotions Rationally

Mindfulness-based relapse prevention can help clients identify their emotions. Experiencing strong feelings is common during rehab and long into recovery, and those emotions can sometimes result in relapse. Clients need to learn how to calmly identify their feelings without taking inappropriate action.

Sometimes, emotions are caused by temporary things. For instance, a bad mood could be caused by thirst and hunger. If you can identify the problem, have a snack and then feel better, you can avoid relapse through an incredibly simple course of action. Of course, mindfulness is the key to being able to accurately identify the root of what you’re feeling.

Discover Personal Triggers

All clients have very personal triggers that can lead to relapse. For some, family drama can immediately lead to relapse. For others, it is sitting in traffic, sleeping poorly several nights in a row or facing financial trouble. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention rehab can help each client discover their triggers and find a way to respond.

If you know that being tired is a trigger, for example, you could take action to prevent that from happening. That might mean a regular bedtime each night, and it might also mean avoiding caffeine during the day. Being mindful also means that when you are tired, you can recognize that fact. Just the act of recognition can change your course of action and keep you on the right track and away from relapse.

Pursue Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention at Beaches Recovery

If you’re looking for mindfulness-based treatment for addiction, consider Beaches Recovery. Rehab should be comprehensive, focusing on more than just the physical side effects of addiction. That’s why Beaches Recovery offers a customized and varied treatment plan that can include all of the following:

• Mindfulness-based treatment for addiction
• Anger management support
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Music therapy
• Fitness and recreational therapies

Mindfulness-based relapse prevention can be an effective way to minimize the risks of relapse. At Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida, you can learn how to practice mindfulness throughout your recovery. Call 866.605.0532 when you’re ready to begin the process of overcoming a drug or alcohol addiction.