When Things Go Bad
Post-treatment recovery support is something MAP is passionate about! At MAP Recovery Support our primary focus is the early detection of relapse behaviors in order to help our clients course correct and avoid a return to active addiction. In many cases, we are able to do this long before things start going badly for the client… but not always. As we know, early sobriety is a volatile time and things can change quickly in the life of an addict/alcoholic.
Recently, we sat down and talked with six of our MAP Specialists who discussed their experiences helping someone who is struggling in their recovery.
MAP: What do you do when you have a client who is starting to exhibit behaviors and make decisions that lead to a relapse?
Troy C. “When I have a client who is starting to slide off the beam I slow the phone call down and start asking open questions, really listening to see if I can gain an understanding of what’s going on – what are the thoughts swinging around in the guy’s head. Once I get that information, I can share my experience and begin to make suggestions that will help move him back onto the path.”
Harley S. “When I start seeing the sort of decisions that generally lead to a relapse, I start offering them suggestions of things I have had to do in the past to get myself headed back in the direction of recovery. If it worked for me, it may work for them too.”
Heather S. “I was talking to a client yesterday who had been evasive with me, claiming that everything was fine for several weeks, while all of her loved ones were expressing concern for her sobriety. Because I had developed a relationship with her, I was able to remind her that I am here for her when things are great, and I’m also here for when the wheels are coming off. She finally came clean with me about where she was and we were able to start discussing actions she can take to get to a better place.”
Lindsay F. “Keeping the identification going between myself and the client is crucial. If they believe I have been where they are, they are much more likely to listen to my experience and advice.”
MAP: Talking with the family members of addicts is also a crucial piece of the support equation. How does including family and friends in the program help you to guide and support the addict?
Lindsay F. “Oftentimes the addict is evasive with me, especially early in our relationship. I had a client recently where I could tell – even in that she was trying to snow me. Every time we talked she claimed that everything was great, but her brother gave me a bunch of information I needed to really assess what was going on. Had I not had that communication with her brother, I don’t know if I would have been able to address the issues that were coming up for her.”
MAP: People in early recovery often relapse. If a use event occurs, MAP stays engaged with both family and addict, working to help the addict return to sobriety as quickly as possible.
Harley S. “If in the course of a conversation, I learn that a client has relapsed or is actively using, I don’t immediately jump on them about it. I never shame them or guilt them. I never even give them the impression I am disappointed – I’m just concerned. I help them see that right now they can use this phone call as an act of humility, as an act of willingness, which is already a solid step back into recovery if they follow it up with some action.”
Sean O. “The good part is – especially if you have developed that rapport with them – they will ultimately pick up the phone and start talking again. Sometimes they will talk to us even if they are still using or drinking. I always start out talking to them about the guilt and shame they are experiencing as a result of the relapse and try to help them get through that so they can get to the point where they are ready to give this another shot.”
Tressie C. “We always tell them from the beginning: ‘No matter what happens, I’m here to help. I mean, if sobriety was easy you wouldn’t need me.’”
Lindsay F. “Even when they go out of contact for a while we are able to get them back. I had a client who seemed to be doing great right up until he relapsed and disappeared. He had revoked all of his consents, so I had no way to track him down. We continue to call our out of contact clients twice a month, and two months after he disappeared we got back in touch with him. He said that he had relapsed and it was bad, and that he was ready to reengage with MAP again. Since then he has been reengaged, and the experience he has been having with recovery is so awesome.”
Harley S. “We can’t always keep them from relapsing, but we have a really good track record of helping our clients get sober again when they do. We help them learn from what just happened, so they can grow from the experience instead of ending up back in active addiction and treatment the way they have in the past.”
Though a number of people engaging with MAP Recovery Support experience a use event at some point during the year, 94% are sober at the end of month 12. The relationship between the Specialist and the client makes this success possible. Our Specialists have years of personal recovery and use their experience and training to support each individual’s journey to sobriety. MAP Recovery Support helps to prevent relapses from occurring, and it also helps those who experience a use event to successfully regain their sobriety, bridging the gap from relapse to recovery.
Working one-on-one, developing a genuine rapport and relationship with each addict and their loved ones is the core of the success of the MAP Recovery Support Program.
