I’ve worked with people living with chronic pain and coexisting psychological disorders including addition for the past 25 years.  In that time I have seen many people using and abusing their pain medication in some very self-destructive—and even lethal—ways.

Anyone in recovery from an addictive disorder is at risk for a potential relapse episode but people who are also living with chronic pain are at a much higher danger of relapse.  These people need a different type primary treatment and relapse prevention treatment.  That is why I have developed the Addiction-Free Pain Management® System—a system that addresses people living with chronic pain and coexisting psychological disorders including addiction.

I’ve been certified since 1991 in advanced relapse prevention therapy and teaching this to other addiction professionals through the Gorski-CENAPS® Corporation as well as working with thousands of patients with chronic relapse episodes.  In addition to an addictive disorder, most of these people were also living with chronic pain as well as other coexisting psychological disorders. 

There continues to be confusion and misunderstanding about what relapse is and how it happens.  In my work with patients and when I’m teaching other professionals I clarify my definition of relapse, how it happens and most important how to prevent people from entering the relapse cycle.

When a person is trying to move into recovery they need to learn new tools to move from an addiction centered life-style to a recovery-centered one.  In the same way, when someone is trying to remain in recovery they need to learn all they can about the sobriety-based symptoms of an addictive disorder and to develop new tools.  One way to develop a new tool kit is through education.  I believe that a recovering chronic pain person would greatly benefit from—as well as increase their chances to avoid relapse—is my, Addiction-Free Pain Management Recovery Guide: A Guide to Managing Pain and Medication in Recovery that you can review on our Publications Page.  This book describes the information that people need in order to develop a relapse prevention plan that addresses both the chronic pain condition as well as the addictive disorder.

Like many other things in recovery, relapse prevention is simple—but not easy. And although relapse prevention is an inside job, that does not mean you have to do it alone.  Help is out there for those who want it.  Please remember, Knowledge is Power, the more you know the more you grow.

To learn more about the role of relapse prevention you can read my article Relaspe Prevention and Chronic Pain Management that you can download for free on our Ariticles page.

If you want to learn more about the Addiction-Free Pain Management® System please check out our website at www.addiction-free.com. To learn more about how to develop an effective chronic pain management plan please go to our Publications page and check out my book the Managing Pain and Coexisting Disorders: Using the Addiction-Free Pain Management® System. To look for my upcoming trainings please go to our Calendar page.

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