What Role Do Sober Companions Play in Reducing Relapse Risks?

The reality is that relapse is a part of many people’s recovery stories. This does not make someone “weak” or less capable of long-term recovery, it just means that addiction is a cunning, baffling, and powerful disease (and, yes, it is a disease). The good news is that even chronic relapsers can recover for good. There are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can aid in reducing relapse and help one to recover at the cellular level. 

The Benefits of Healing at the Cellular Level

Ultimately, what does it mean to heal at the cellular level? It means to heal all aspects of the capital “S” Self — to heal the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspect of Self. This is holistic healing (holistic meaning “whole”). Healing at the cellular level is also about getting to the underlying issues of one’s addiction rather than just focusing on the surface-level issues. One must go deeper.

However, healing at the cellular level doesn’t just happen. It takes a lot of work and a lot of focus. The good news is that, at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we have the tools necessary to help one recover in the long term. 

The Benefits of Individualized and Comprehensive Addiction Care

Now, the fact of the matter is that the recovery industry is now worth billions of dollars. While this is positive in that there are more means for people to recover, there are also many bad actors who are no longer looking out for their clients. They are looking to cash in on the boom of addiction recovery. 

These treatment centers are more concerned about their financial bottom line than they are about their clients’ well-being. They also tend to offer only single-modality treatment plans. Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we know that overarching “one-note” recovery plans rarely work. Many of these places also have a skewed concept of what addiction is.

Better Understanding Addiction

As previously mentioned, many people don’t realize that addiction is a disease. Yes, millions of people struggle with addiction every day. This is especially true in the U.S., where many people stigmatize addiction as some type of moral failing or “choice.” However, most recovery and medical professionals agree that addiction has more in common with other chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes than it does with a “choice.”

It is also important to understand that addiction is a “family disease.” This means that addiction affects more than just the individual who is struggling. It affects everyone around that individual, especially the family. This is why the primary test of 12-Step recovery (commonly referred to as the Big Book) has a chapter dedicated to how addiction affects the family. The family also takes time to heal, even after a loved one enters recovery. 

They can also be a source of help for others. The Big Book states, “This painful past [of addiction] may be of infinite value to other families still struggling with their problem. We think each family which has been relieved owes something to those who have not, and when the occasion requires, each member of it should be only too willing to bring former mistakes, no matter how grievous, out of their hiding places. Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worthwhile to us now.” The family can also be useful because they are often the ones who can notice the signs and symptoms of their loved one’s addiction.

The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Now, the signs and symptoms of addiction (including when one relapses) are always going to vary based on the individual. However, one can look out for many universal signs and symptoms. The following are just a few of the signs and symptoms of addiction:

• Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
• Loss of appetite and a lack of care regarding physical appearance and well-being
• Exhibiting excessive mood swings
• Isolating away from family and close friends
• Experiencing trouble at work or school
• Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
• Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
• Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
• Not being able to stop once starting drinking or using substances
• Experiencing physical ailments such as headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
• Engaging in risky behaviors
• Causing harm to oneself or others
• Having suicidal ideations

Now, many people can minimize addiction or falsely categorize it as that previously mentioned “choice.” However, as one can see, these signs and symptoms are significant and can be deadly. This is why reaching out for professional help as soon as possible is vital. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. This includes people who also struggle with co-occurring disorders of addiction and mental illness.

Addiction and Mental Illness

Millions of people also struggle with addiction and co-occurring mental illness. Unfortunately, these people also face high levels of stigma. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “There are safe, effective, and lifesaving tools available to help people struggling with substance use. However, stigma often factors into the reasons why people who need help do not seek care. Research shows the language people use can contribute to stigma and discrimination against people with substance use disorders, including by healthcare professionals.”

Many people with addiction and mental illness are also under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed. This is because people with comorbidities often have disorders that look the same as addiction symptoms. This often leads a doctor to diagnose one issue and not the other.

This can be dangerous because not treating all of one’s issues can cause one issue to get better while the other festers. Even if one issue is “fixed,” eventually, the other issue will surface and cause the treated issue to come back in full force. With addiction, this is often what leads to a relapse.

Reducing Relapse: Better Understanding Relapses

Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse can be. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Addiction Relapse Prevention, by Doctors Guenzel and McChargue. “One primary concern in addiction treatment is the high rate of relapses within a short period after even the most intensive treatment. Many studies have shown relapse rates of approximately 50% within the first 12 weeks after completion of intensive inpatient programs that often last 4 to 12 weeks or more and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.”

There is no single exact reason for why an individual may relapse. In 12-Step recovery, a relapse is often related to “people, places, and things.” This is simply the trifecta of danger that can cause one to feel uncomfortable in their recovery and thus turn to alcohol or their substance of choice. These issues are also discussed in the Big Book.

However, the Big Book also discusses the benefits of working with others to prevent a relapse. It points out that working with others is the best way to avoid a relapse. The Big Book states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail…. You can help when no one else can.” This is also the essence of working with sober companions.

What Are Sober Companions?

Sober companions are individuals who aid another individual in their recovery. The relationship is similar to the ones formed with the sponsor/sponsee bond in 12-Step recovery. However, a sober companion relationship has a dynamic that involves more accountability.

Sober companions maintain constant vigilance with the individual who is struggling. They are hired to be available 24/7 to ensure that the individual struggling has a place to turn when they feel as though they may relapse or simply have a question about their recovery.

Many sober companions begin their relationship early in an individual’s recovery. They can even begin working as soon as someone says “yes” during an intervention. An intervention is a tool used to get someone to get the help they need by informing them of boundaries that will be established if they do not seek treatment. The good news is that at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we have skilled professional interventionists who are licensed to work in all 50 states. Working with sober companions is also important in staying engaged with one’s recovery plan and its set modalities.

Reducing Relapse: Utilizing Psychotherapy for Addiction Recovery

It is critical that one use as many means, methods, and modalities for their long-term recovery as possible. This is an ideal way to ensure that one heals at the cellular level. One of the most critical modalities in addiction recovery is psychotherapy. This is because it is evidence-based and has a long record of efficacy. Two of the most effective types of psychotherapy are cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

CBT can be highly effective because it is “goal oriented.” According to the peer-reviewed thesis Cognitive Behavior Therapy, by Doctors Chand, Kuckel, and Huecker, “Cognitive behavior therapy is a structured, didactic, and goal-oriented form of therapy. The approach is hands-on and practical, wherein the therapist and patient work in a collaborative manner with the goal of modifying patterns of thinking and behavior to bring about a beneficial change in the patient’s mood and way of living his/her life. It is used to help a wide range of problems, and appropriate treatment protocols are applied depending on the diagnosis and problems the patient is facing.” DBT also offers similar benefits, though in different ways.

Dialectical behavior therapy is highly effective because it focuses on “acceptance” and “mindfulness.” According to the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry (Edgmont), “In DBT, several interventions and skills are geared toward conveying acceptance of the patient and helping the patient accept him or herself, others, and the world…. In DBT, mindfulness skills help patients attend to what is happening in the present. Some of the mindfulness skills involve attending to and nonjudgmentally observing the current experience, describing the facts of the current experience or situation, and fully participating in the activity/experience of the present while attending to one thing at a time (“one-mindfully”) and focusing on effective, skillful behavior.” A sober companion can ensure that the individual sticks with these psychotherapies.

Reducing Relapse: Utilizing Experiential Therapy for Addiction Recovery

A sober companion can also ensure that their client has meaningful experiences and commits to their fullest creative potential. This can happen by participating in experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy.

Nature immersion therapy can be particularly beneficial for individuals struggling with comorbidities. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,  “More specifically, nature-based therapy (including nature-based rehabilitation and horticultural therapy) has been demonstrated to positively affect individuals with mental health disorders. The research found that nature-based therapy improves patients’ self-esteem and decreases depression; improves motivation and social interaction; reduces healthcare consumption; increases mental well-being and engagement; and can give participants a sense of meaningfulness. Overall, the potential of nature-based therapy is highly promising.”

Art therapy also works well for individuals struggling with co-occurring issues of addiction and mental illness. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, “Art therapy is used most commonly to treat mental illnesses and can aid in controlling manifestations correlated with psychosocially challenging behaviours, slowing cognitive decline, and enhancing the quality of life. [It] can help people express themselves more freely, improve their mental health, and improve interpersonal relationships. The basis of art therapy is established on the idea that people can recover and feel better via artistic expression.” A sober companion can also help one engage with holistic healing methods.

Reducing Relapse: Utilizing Holistic Healing Methods for Addiction Recovery

Meditation and yoga are ideal for avoiding a relapse and working with sober companions. The renowned yogi and spiritual leader B.K.S. Iyengar famously said, “Meditation is oneness, when there is no longer time, sex, or country. The moment when, after you have concentrated on doing a pose (or anything else) perfectly, you hold it and then forget everything, not because you want to forget but because you are concentrated: this is meditation.” 

Yoga and meditation have been around for thousands of years. Originally, they were just utilized as spiritual practices, but they have since moved into the realm of recovery. Yoga and meditation also offer a myriad of other benefits. The following are just a few of those benefits:

• Improved breathing
• Better strength and posture
• A greater focus on mindfulness
• Creates empathy
• Connects individuals with new relatable people
• Acquiring a better sense of self
• Finding a better sense of mental balance and clarity
• Helping one to connect with others and heal relationships
• Increased positivity and wellness
• Encourages spirituality
• Reduces anxiety and depression
• Can help individuals who struggle with suicidal ideations

As one can see, these benefits are vast and varied. These modalities also work very well with other types of treatment and while working with sober companions, making them even more valuable to individuals who are seeking a more comprehensive plan of action. The key is finding the right types of treatments that work together and sticking to them.

Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

Aristotle famously said, “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” Sober companions help lift one above this mere level of survival. They can help one reach a life beyond their wildest dreams.

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future. This includes our plans which utilize the aid of a sober companion.

Recovery is a “We” program, never a “Me” program. It is time to work together to heal at the cellular level. Recovery is waiting. We can help.

Sober companions provide vital support and accountability during the early stages of recovery from addiction. These trained professionals assist individuals by guiding them through daily challenges, promoting healthy coping strategies, and helping to prevent potential triggers that may lead to relapse. Relapses happen, but the good news is that there are many effective means, methods, and modalities for long-term success. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about sober companions, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab today at (808) 775-0200.