An addiction is one disease that countless millions are forced to struggle with every single day. The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health now claims that as many as 22.5 million Americans deal with daily substance abuse, and only 3.8 million people receive professional assistance. With or without formal assistance from an addiction specialist or inpatient rehab program, the chances of relapse are high, but a relapse does not mean that the individual has failed. This is why everyone working through their addiction should understand why relapses take place, methods to prevent them, and what to do immediately afterwards.
Causes of a Relapse
A drug addiction is a powerful disease that alters one’s brain chemistry and can take a serious toll on one’s life, as well as their body. Depending on the type of drugs that have been used and the frequency that they have been used, an addict’s brain chemistry may be permanently altered. Luckily, there are effective treatment options out there, but all addicts must understand that there is a high possibility of relapse. In 2004, the NSDUH claimed that anywhere from 50 percent to 90 percent of people relapse after formal or informal rehab.
Relapses typically happen due to internal or external triggers. External triggers can come from a wide range of places, such as stress within the workplace or a fight with a loved one. Internal triggers can be just as powerful, and many addicts will trick themselves into believing that a single hit will not do much or that they have been good recently and drugs are a fair way to reward themselves.
What to Do Immediately After a Relapse
The very first step is to understand if a relapse is about to take place or currently taking place, while the signs are not always clear. Here are scenarios that all recovering addicts should be wary of:
- A Quick Change in Attitude
- Elevated Stress
- Immediate Denial
- Behavioral Changes
- Feelings of Hopelessness
When these feelings begin to take place, a relapse could be imminent. Even with the drug of choice in hand, there is still time to stop. If drug use does occur, the first step is to remove one’s ability to take mood altering substances for a 24 hour period. This includes anything from stimulants to depressants, each of which can trigger another relapse or transition into a new addiction. Seeking out immediate support and assistance is another important step after a relapse has taken place.
How to Prevent Relapse in the Long Run
Preventing future relapses is almost always about the mindset and knowledge of the recovering addict. While external factors will always take place, the power is in the hands of the individual. This begins by understanding that a relapse is not a sign of failure, but merely a stepping stone. An addiction is an exceptionally powerful disease that controls millions every single year with countless individuals struggling daily. One of the best methods to prevent a relapse is to find a support system or effective rehab program that offers frequent counseling and support groups, as well as teach struggling individuals the methods they can use to beat stress, triggers, or even peer pressure without relapsing.
Myths About Relapses
It is all too easy for anyone to feel as if a relapse has ruined their path to sobriety, but a very high percentage of individuals relapse one or more times. This is in no way a sign of failure, and a relapse does not mean that progress has not taken place.
