Alcohol rehab programs and drug addiction treatment centers that place a primary focus on relapse prevention offer the best chance of success to recovering addicts and alcoholics. However, this focus can often be diluted with peripheral types of treatment that do not place enough emphasis on reality-based intensive addiction treatment. Equine Therapy, Surf Therapy, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy are all wonderful ways to relax and have fun, but they have no place in helping to save the life of a suffering addict. Instead, recovery is achieved by changing the underlying concepts that lead to substance abuse and by learning critical skills to prevent relapse after a treatment program has been completed.

One of the most significant parts of relapse prevention is Denial Management. People who have suffered through addiction and alcoholism often have severe issues with denial. This includes self-denial, denial of the presence of or severity of stress, denial about urges to use again, denial about the past, and even denial about the person's own ability- or lack thereof- to maintain a lifetime of sobriety. Denial is managed primarily with individual therapy and supplemented with group and family therapy. Each type of therapy has its own denial-related benefits, including helping the user to self-evaluate based on the perspective of others. However, individual therapy is most beneficial because it allows a user to develop and master skills that are required in order to remain free form drugs or alcohol, such as assertive, such as coping skills and assertive skills.

Most relapses can be attributed to symptoms caused by Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome or PAWS. These symptoms begin immediately after a person has completed detox and generally tend to last for 3 months. These symptoms include an inability to solve simple problems, inability to maintain balance and motor skills, depression, anxiety, inability to organize and express thoughts and a number of other symptoms. Many people do not understand PAWS and consequently they ignore the warning signs and eventually relapse. The same therapies that are used in Denial Management are also used to deal with Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. Individual, group and family therapy sessions help build skills to round out a solid relapse prevention program, including stress coping skills, refusal skills and avoidance skills.

Ultimately, many people relapse because they stop practicing the skills needed to maintain sobriety. Management of PAWS and Denial isn't a short term type of drug addiction or alcohol treatment. In most cases these issues must be dealt with for life and it takes a conscientious effort in order to do so, along with the support of family, friends, and fellow recovering addicts or alcoholics.

If you are in recovery and you feel like you might be in danger of relapsing, then you should know that you are not alone. Thousands of people who are dedicated to their recovery relapse each year even when things seem to be going well. Sometimes it can simply take a few tries to get it right. But no matter what stage you are at in your recovery, relapse prevention begins and ends with a lifetime of PAWS treatment and Denial Management.