<p>Starting a journey in recovery can be a challenging time. Most alcoholics and addicts experience an enormous number of diverse emotions. One of this is wondering if they’ll be able to stay sober after the complete treatment.</p>
<p>While the statistics for relapse are important, they often do not tell an accurate story. There are numbers for relapse rates associated with outpatient treatment programs. However, unlike normal diseases and remission data, the factors behind a relapse are far different.</p>
<p>Here’s some information to put your mind at rest when you’re trying to find a way to discover the relapse rate for an outpatient treatment program. In addition, we’ll touch on a more important aspect of relapse, which is how you might prevent one from every happening.</p>
<h2>Relapse Rates vs. Overdose</h2>
<p>One reason that relapse rates are less useful in judging recovery success is the focus of addiction data. The federal government simply estimates recovery statistics such as relapse. But, they maintain rigid national data for the number of overdoses.</p>
<p>Ironically, the two statistics would seem to be closely related. There are statistical estimates abounding for users by age, demographic or ethnicity. Personal privacy laws, once someone completes a treatment program, are important.</p>
<p>That means that unless someone overdoses or is arrested for a drug or alcohol related crime, there may never be any data recorded. A relapse rate for any particular treatment program can only be an estimate.</p>
<h2>Relapse Rates vs. Treatment Completion Rates</h2>
<p>One often missed statistic might would something that is more directly related to relapse than you might realize. Statistics vary between outpatient and inpatient treatment programs addressing the numbers who successfully finish.</p>
<p>Like overdose statistics, these numbers have more validity because they are based on hard data. More than half of those who enter an inpatient treatment program will complete it. Barely one-third of the addicts or alcoholics successfully finish an outpatient program. There is one clear reason why these two numbers may be so far apart.</p>
<p>A percentage of those who enter inpatient treatment programs are court ordered. Outpatient programs have a larger percentage of individuals who enter without any mandate on their own initiative. It is less likely that someone facing legal consequences will choose to leave a program of any type prior to finishing.</p>
<p>Now, while the percentages of patients completing inpatient vs. outpatient are greater, the national data on those who were sober after five years is minimal. The key to take from this information is that you stand a vastly better chance of avoiding a relapse if you finish your treatment program.</p>
<h2>Asking About a Treatment Program’s Relapse Rate</h2>
<p>Now that you have an appreciation of the difficulty in tracking actual relapse rates after leaving any particular outpatient treatment program, you can understand how to ask the question. The professionals who will discuss your outpatient program with you, want you to succeed.</p>
<p>They will certainly have figures to give you concerning how successful the program is at preventing a relapse. As long as you understand that relapse rates are estimates based on multiple factors, you’ll better appreciate the most important aspect of relapse, how you can avoid becoming a negative statistic.</p>
<h2>Creating Your Relapse Rate</h2>
<p>Every addict or alcoholic who starts any treatment program will become a number in a mass statistic. There will be people interested in whether you complete the program, and others interested in how long you stay clean and sober afterward.</p>
<p>That’s the statistic that you can control. You can become a positive part of the relapse data by first, completing your program. Outpatient programs are designed for you to succeed and stay clean and sober, not to relapse.</p>
<p>However, they are structured programs with set lengths to help you establish a strong foundation for staying clean and sober. Finish your program, as this will be your first line of defense against a relapse.</p>
<p>Another critical thing to remember is your recovery doesn’t end when your treatment program ends. It doesn’t end when you walk out of a residential treatment facility or when you finish an outpatient treatment plan.</p>
<p>Your journey in recovery is a lifetime adventure. If you understand that key concept, you’ll know that continuing to treat your addiction is critical. Here are a few tips on how to help prevent a relapse after you complete your outpatient treatment program.</p>
<ul>
<li>Follow the recommendations of your treatment professionals after you complete your program.</li>
<li>Get connected with helpful addiction recovery organizations immediately.</li>
<li>Build a network of contacts in recovery and maintain consistent communication with them.</li>
<li>Take care of your personal life and your physical health.</li>
<li>Know who to call or where you can go if you feel an urge to drink or use.</li>
</ul>
<p>Outpatient treatment programs have estimated data on their relapse rates. As long as you understand what these rates indicate, you’ll understand how they apply to your recovery. The most important thing to remember is not what someone else did upon completing their program, but you’re going to do.</p>
<p>You can choose which statistical column of the relapse chart you will fall into. If you think you have a problem with drugs, step number one is to ask for help. When treatment is suggested, finish the program and realize recovery is a beautiful journey, not a destination. Start your recovery now, and you can be one of the statistics who never has to relapse.</p>
