How to help an alcoholic person not to relapse?

The process of maintaining abstinence, that is, not consuming is complicated, for this reason it is important not to lower your guard and continue working so as not to relapse into consumption.

Given the difficulty and lability of the situation, it is essential to start training and educating the patient during the carrying out therapy for possible risk situations that may be encountered, so that they can be dealt with in a effective. For this purpose, there are specific programs to prevent relapse of alcohol consumption.

In the same way, it will also be important that the close environment of the subject, such as family and friends, collaborate, reinforce, support and motivate him. to continue with the process and help you create a healthy environment, away from stimuli, places, situations and people that encourage you to consume and in this way to be a support with whom they can communicate, express how they feel without being judged and support them if they need to ask for help professional.

In this article you will find a summary of the main characteristics of alcoholism and some helpful techniques and strategies used by health professionals and by people around the addicted person that are used to help prevent relapse into alcohol use.

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Characteristics of alcoholism

Alcoholism is one of the most common substance use disorders, classified in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic Manual of the Association of American Psychiatrists (DSM 5) as a pathology capable of seriously deteriorating the quality of life of the person. Statistically, it arises differently according to the sex of the population, with a proportion of 12.2% in men versus 4.9% in women; We see how alcohol use disorder occurs more in men than in women, as it happens with other addictions. There are also differences according to age, with 4.6% in subjects between 12 and 17 years of age as opposed to subjects over 18 years of age with 8.5%.

So that, the age of onset of the disorder is usually between 20 and 30 years, in the stage of youth and in which it is common to consume alcoholic beverages in leisure contextsThe first alcohol intoxication usually occurs before the age of 20.

In the same way, this affectation also influences the possibility of developing another comorbid disorder, doubling the probability that another will appear. psychiatric disorder, the most typical being bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depressive and anxiety disorders, and personality disorder antisocial.

Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant, affecting and injuring different brain areas such as the mammillary bodies, which is part of the limbic system and are related mainly with memory or as the thalamus, an organ of emotional and sensory integration that sends and receives information from the cortex cerebral. In this way, alcohol is the psychoactive substance that has the greatest impact on personal and social life and on the health of affected individuals, increasing the risk of suicide and mortality.

For these reasons raised above, effective treatment of the disorder will be essential. alcohol, as well as working and preparing the patient for possible risk situations of relapse.

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Ways to help a person not to relapse into alcoholism

As with other addictive disorders, a relapse in use is likely. For this reason it will be important to work, prepare and give tools to patients so that they can cope with different risk situations that increase the probability of relapse both during treatment and especially after therapy has endedWhen you no longer receive as much support, since the process of maintaining abstinence is just as complicated as the detoxification process.

In the same way, the support and work that is given to avoid relapses comes from the therapist, but it is also fundamental and beneficial that the environment of the patient such as family and friends of her are informed of the problem and collaborate in the treatment and maintenance of the abstinence.

• Related article: "Drug withdrawal syndrome: its types and symptoms"

Training in relapse prevention from the professional field

In this way, it will be essential to start working with the patient during the therapy sessions on the possible situations of risk of relapse and possible consumption that may occur. For this reason there is a specific model for relapse prevention created by Marlatt and Gordon; This suggests that there are different variables that influence relapse, both individual, physiological, situational or sociocultural.

These authors point out as an essential component of this training explaining to the patient the difference between fall and relapse, since it generates confusion, but they are not the same at all. In the first case, in the fall, only isolated consumption occurs, that is, the patient has returned to drinking in a specific and specific situation or moment. On the other hand, relapse does mean re-acquiring the habit of consumption.

Similarly, Marlatt and Gordon distinguish three cognitive factors that influence the relapse process, which are: self-efficacy, which is self-confidence to achieve your goals, expectations of the results of consumption and the attribution of causality.

Thus, specific programs for relapse prevention are proposed, with components such as the psychoeducation, where he is taught the difference between fall and relapse, by announcing that relapses are possible and that it does not mean the end of the rehabilitation process, they are not a failure; take into account and analyze the variables that can cause it to relapse; work on skills to face these risky situations, train to remain firm in not consuming and work on coping and lifestyle to promote abstinence.

In this way, It is important to talk with the subject about the possibility of relapses so that an action plan can be created to prevent them.. Likewise, you will be presented with all the possible stimuli and risk situations that you may encounter and especially take into account those that are most likely to appear; for example, certain people you normally drank with, places like bars and friends' houses where the consumption or objects and moments of the day or particular days that relate to the drink.

Too different social events can influence, such as celebrating a birthday or going out to party where finding alcohol is a lot most likely or the state in which the individual is if he is living a stressful situation. Let's not forget that alcohol use disorder can present other associated conditions or disorders that can also make maintenance difficult.

Likewise, if the patient is aware of the factors that can lead him to relapse, he can choose to avoid them, that is, allow himself to be exposed to them, For example, it will be better if you do not interact with the group of friends with whom you always used or in case you cannot avoid it for a while as it can be a festive time, try to be accompanied and have the support of a friend who does not link with alcohol and thus reinforces the not consumption.

In the same way, we will recommend that you interact and interact with a healthy environment, that is, try to find new places or is related to people who do not drink alcohol, since the environment where they move will be decisive to maintain the abstinence. It may be favorable to attend a support or help group where you can interact with other subjects who are in the same situation by reinforcing some to others and avoiding stimuli harmful to the process, there are also bars where the sale of alcohol is not allowed, helping to maintain the environment healthy.

• You may be interested in: "When is a person considered to be an alcoholic?"

Support from people around you

As we have already explained, obtain the support of the people around you, especially those closest to the person who has developed the addiction, It will be essential, as these helpers will act as support and reinforcement in situations where difficulties may arise and which are beyond the context clinical. We can treat these friends and family as the "scaffolds" on which the new lifestyle and set of healthy habits will be established when you have left the therapy sessions or the treatment program for admission to a health center.

In this way, it is important that these people maintain a constant flow of communication with health professionals who have treated or are treating the person, so that they have the guidelines and advice that are adapted to the needs of the addict and at the same time have information from sources reliable.

As helpers of the person who is overcoming alcoholism, he will find in us a confidant with whom he can express what he feels, what difficulties he is having... and without feeling the pressure of prejudices and constant moral evaluations. We will try to motivate her to continue with the process and we will acknowledge her progress; every little progress and day without consuming is essential.

In the same way, we will try to be understanding and a good reference. We will take into account the circumstances of that person and we will try not to carry out a behavior that could precipitate relapse like drinking in front of him, and we will not force him to do things that he is not prepared for, such as attending a party where there is sure to be alcohol.

Thus, apart from being a support and an important element of support, since as we said it is essential that the patient's environment cooperates, We will also be aware of possible changes, channels or indications that may make us think that you are at risk of relapse in order to Recommend that you go and ask a professional for help as soon as possible, to avoid consumption or if there has been a fall that does not end relapsing.