Even the most ambitious people may relapse after quitting the use of opiate. The lure of knowing how good the drugs made you feel and many other reminders are hard to get away from. Relapsing on opiates should not be considered a failure; up to 90% of opiate addicts who undergo treatment, eventually will relapse. The longer a person avoids using opiates, the greater their chances will be, but there are so many things that can throw the addict off course.

Addiction Treatment Programs

The best prevention for relapse is an opiate addiction treatment program that sufficiently gets the addict off the drug, teaches coping skills for maintaining abstinence, and provides counseling, therapy, and medical attention to address all of their physical, psychological, and emotional needs. It may take multiple treatment attempts before an addict remains 100% abstinent, and according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, up to 90% of recovering addicts will relapse, but it isn’t the end.

Behavioral Therapies

You can become opiate free!

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is major part of treatment for opiate addiction and in after care services it works as a prevention to relapse. Behaviors become habits when the person is addicted and it is crucial for them to learn to replace maladaptive thoughts with appropriate ones and replace negative behaviors with positive ones. Many people discontinue therapies and after care programs prematurely, and therefore, put themselves back at risk for relapse.

What Can You Do?

According to the National Institute of Health,” The odds of remaining abstinent rise if patients have been abstinent for 1 to 3 years. After 3 years, the recovery odds remain high and stable. Therefore, as with other chronic diseases, addiction requires an ongoing and active disease management strategy” There is no sure way of knowing How to Beat Opiate Addiction without Relapse but, here is some advice:

• Remember the addiction stays with you. Opiate addiction cravings can last indefinitely.
• Don’t let down your guard. Avoid “triggers” that may remind you of using or cause you to use. The triggers can be people, places, or things and you should analyze these enough to know what ties to break.
• Leave the past behind. What’s done is done. With a clearer mind, you can now focus on the future.
• Seek, build, and rebuild positive relationships that don’t revolve around drugs. 12-Step programs are wonderful resources for getting help from others who know what you are going through.
• Stay busy, do something positive when they cravings arise.
• Be open with friends, family, and doctors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Medications such as Buprenorphine (Subutex, Suboxone) may help but, they are meant for short term and are not to be relied on indefinitely.
• Be sure to complete therapies and be active within a support group.