Drug Addiction and Alcoholism: Relapse Prevention

Addictive behaviors do have special characteristicsindividuals whose brains have been altered by their
related to the social environments in which theydrug addiction or alcoholism. These people are in need
originate. All of the environmental cues surrounding initialof drug rehab or alcoholism treatment.
drug or alcohol use and development of the addictionObserving that there are very few heroin addicts in
actually become "conditioned" to that drug use and aretheir 50s or 60s, people frequently ask what happened
thus critical to the development of the addiction.to those who were heroin addicts 30 years ago. The
Environmental signals are paired in time with ancommon belief is that these people must have
individual's initial drug use experiences and throughrecovered on their own. However, studies find that
classical conditioning, take on conditioned stimulusonly a very small percentage actually quit on their own.
properties. When those signals are present at a laterThe rest have either been successfully treated in a
time, they elicit anticipation of a drug experience anddrug rehab or addiction treatment center, are currently
thus generate drug craving. Trigger-induced craving isin methadone maintenance treatment programs, with
one of the most frequent causes of drug usethe remainder being deceased. We know that,
relapses, even after long periods of abstinence.contrary to common belief, very few addicts or
Environmental triggers help explain why reentry toalcoholics just stop on their own.
one's community can be so difficult for addicts leavingIn order for an individual to prevent relapse, they must
the controlled environments of a drug rehab, addictionmake a decision to comply with the addiction
treatment center or alcoholism treatment center. It istreatment or alcoholism treatment regimen. Research
no wonder that so many people that are chemicallyshows us that lack of addiction treatment or drug
dependent cannot simply return to their homerehab compliance is the main cause for relapse among
environment immediately after completing their drugaddicts and alcoholics. Few recovering addicts or
rehab, addiction treatment or alcoholism rehabalcoholics fully realize just how diligent they have to
program.become in following addiction treatment or rehab
People often assume that because drug addictionsuggestions in order to maintain long term recovery.
begins with a voluntary behavior and is expressed inWe encourage anyone interested to learn more about
the form of excess behavior, people should just bewhat happens in a drug rehab program and how to
able to use willpower to stop their drug addiction.help someone in treatment prevent or overcome
However, it is essential to understand when dealingrelapses.
with addicts and alcoholics that we are dealing with