About Our Recovery Program

Once a patient decides to undergo detox, the first stage they go through is the medical assessment. The intake director asks them a set of important questions to determine what the best approach to detox is and what type of care they would need. A treatment plan that includes medications for opioid use disorder also typically includes counseling or therapy. Counseling or therapy helps people change their attitudes and behaviors related to opioid use, prevents a recurrence of opioid use, and keeps people in recovery longer. As you recover from an opioid use disorder, you may find that some days are harder than others to stay on track. In fact, 40% to 60% of people with substance abuse disorder (SUD) have a relapse at some point. It helps to know your triggers and how to avoid them.

What Are Opioid Relapse Triggers?

Many emotional and physical events tempt people to use opioids again. These opioid relapse triggers are unique to each person. There are two main types of triggers: external and internal. External triggers include places, people, and activities that remind you of using opioids or tempt you to use them. Internal triggers are emotions that make you want to turn to opioids again. It may help to think about what your own triggers are and make a list of them so you can be aware and have a plan of action if you encounter one of your triggers. Some common triggers include:

• stress
• difficult emotions like sadness, anger or guilt
• overconfidence that you can use opioids just once and immediately give them up
• isolation from support and resources that can help you bettter manage triggers.
• social anxiety is common for people in recovery. Be sure to have access to the support you need.
• celebrating accomplishments may seem like an odd time to be worried about triggers but there is temptation there that may require your awareness to control
HALT: This acronym stands for “hungry, angry, lonely, tired.” When these four basic human needs aren’t met, they can trigger you or make other triggers worse.

What Is Relapse?

When you relapse with opioids, it means you return to using the drug after a period of sobriety. This might happen after you finish treatment for opioid use disorder. But it doesn’t mean your treatment was unsuccessful. Instead, it suggests you might need to restart treatment, try a different one, or add something to your treatment plan. Addiction is a lifelong disease and risk of relapse is part of it.

If you should relapse, Healing Recovery Clinics is here to help you get back on your healing path.