The first couple weeks after completing substance abuse treatment are when people are at the greatest risk for relapse. The stress of returning to the “real” world and having to learn to deal with unstructured time, finding a job and possibly somewhere to live, and dealing with the friends and family members you left behind can send people fleeing back into their drugs of choice. The same is true for people just leaving prison, especially if they didn’t receive any kind of real treatment while incarcerated. According to one study of Washington State prisons, during the first two weeks after release, the risk of death among former inmates was 12.7 greater than the rest of the population, even after accounting for age, race, and sex.
Another explanation for the high overdose rates for people leaving prison is the lack of a community support network, particularly if an individual has been incarcerated for a long time. Trying to reintegrate into society can be difficult and stressful. There might be distrust from strangers and even people who used to be friends. Finding a job can sometimes be difficult, depending on the nature of the crime committed. Prison inmates, generally speaking, have less education, lower income, and little or no health insurance, and may live in undesirable neighborhoods where drug use is common.
In an effort to combat this, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) developed a relapse prevention tool intended for at-risk offenders departing correctional facilities called The Drugs and the Brain Wallet Card (DBWC). The card is two inches by three and a half inches, discreet and small enough to be kept in a purse, pocket, wallet or cell phone case. The print is large and easy to see, and the language is designed for people at lower literacy levels.
One section of the card lists the effects of drugs on the brain, while another defines and lists examples of triggers. It can be customized by a counselor in order to list an individual’s particular triggers, so that they can carry a reminder of people and places to avoid. They may also list resources in the inmate’s area such as a sponsor, therapist, or counselor, or national helplines, such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s treatment locator and Suicide Prevention Lifeline or NIDA’s website. The cards can be ordered free of charge from the NIDA Research Dissemination Center.
The DBWC isn’t necessarily only for people leaving prison. It could be helpful to people exiting residential addiction treatment facilities as well. It is not meant to be treatment in itself but is intended to be used in addition to an ongoing program, possibly including medication to help prevent relapse.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504.
