With U.S. Overdose Deaths up 28.5%, Renaissance Ranch Drug Rehab Works to Prevent Holiday Relapses

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control announced a 28.5% increase in drug overdose deaths from May 2020 to April 2021, marking an all-time high. In response to this news, and with the holidays approaching, Renaissance Ranch, a faith-based men’s addiction recovery center based in Bluffdale, Utah, is helping recovering substance abuse addicts avoid the pitfall of holiday relapse after a challenging year.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, year-round relapse rates for abuse of drugs like heroin hovers between 40% and 60%. For alcohol, it can approach 90%. Add to that the stress of the holidays. With DrugAbuse.com reporting that 94% of people recovering from addiction report feeling overwhelmed during the holidays, November through January can turn into a war zone of relapse triggers.

Renaissance Ranch, which is known for its Band of Brothers Alumni Association — one of the largest addiction recovery support groups in the country — is providing proactive support for its members in recovery as well as members of the community.

“We know this is a challenging time every year — particularly this year with the difficulties of the pandemic still with us. We’ve invested a lot of resources into getting ahead of the curve so we can help people minimize relapse,” said Preston Dixon, the C.O.O. of the Renaissance Ranch drug treatment center, who is a recovering addict of over 10 years himself.

The Renaissance Ranch team hosts weekly meetings for its Band of Brothers alumni and also offers extracurricular activities such as camping trips, sporting events, and study groups to bolster support and comradery. They also offer a wealth of resources to help families support their loved one’s recovery. These include podcasts, free webinars, and free classes, many of which are open to the community in-person or online through their substance abuse program’s family support website.

Dixon said that these resources help educate people about the most common triggers of holiday relapse and give recovering addicts and their families actionable ideas to avoid them. These triggers may include the ever-present alcohol at holiday events, stress due to an increase in holiday time commitments, financial demands of gift giving, and interpersonal conflicts.

“Relapse is hard during the holidays when there are resentments between family members. Sometimes we just need to look at our side of the street and see where we can observe our shortcomings and forgive others for theirs. A simple phone call before the festivities can make the holiday much brighter,” said Preston.

Renaissance Ranch’s many resources help people in recovery navigate relational conflicts, plan ways to politely refuse alcohol at holiday parties, replace addictive habits with positive ones such as participating in holiday service, and practice daily self-care to mitigate stress.

Preston Dixon owns Renaissance Ranch along with his parents and brother Tyson, who is also a recovering addict of over 10 years. Most of the staff members at the Ranch are recovering addicts as well, offering an insider’s perspective to support their clients through their 12-step approach to addiction recovery. Renaissance Ranch received Utah’s “Best of State” award. They have also been named among the best addiction recovery treatment centers of their kind by the prestigious national third-party rating organization, Vista Research Group, Inc. Call 801-872-7201 or visit www.RenaissanceRanch.net to learn more.

About Renaissance Ranch Treatment Centers

Renaissance Ranch is a Utah rehab center that uses a faith-based addiction recovery program by combining the traditional 12-Step approach to treatment combined with Gospel principles as they relate to alcohol and drug addiction. They are owned and operated by individuals who have been through the challenging road to recovery, but who have been made more whole and stronger by that very journey. Renaissance Ranch takes those who are at their lowest point and bring them into a program that gives them hope and a blueprint of how to grow and achieve their best selves.