Dealing with Relapse

According to statistics released by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 90 percent of substance abusers attempting to stay sober will relapse at least once and 72 percent of that group will relapse multiple times. However, the National Survey on Drug Use and Heath clarify that the relapse did not begin with the action of substance abuse, but the events that led up to the action. In other words, there were warning signs along the way that could have been avoided.

Learn to Reject the Behavior

The action of engaging in drug or alcohol abuse is connected to thoughts, emotions and behaviors. The best way to avoid a relapse is to find a method to reject the substance abuse and to learn to address and deal with the stress or circumstance that leads you to want to engage in drug and alcohol behavior. In many instances, individuals in recovery return to the old way of thinking and to their old patterns of behavior. Many even believe that sobriety is not that important.

Face Stress Head On

Unfortunately, stress always has been and always will be a part of life. The key to avoiding relapse is to learn how to meet the stress head on and to deal with it without the need of drugs and alcohol. Mood swings, extreme emotional reacting to stress and over reacting behaviorally, are all indicators that stress may be creating a stumbling block or hurdle that could cause problems down the road. Denying stress exists and pretending that you can handle it on your own, without help is also an indicator that you really do need help.

Withdrawal Symptoms Can Trigger Relapse

Withdrawal symptoms from certain drugs and alcohol abuse and addiction that you had in the past, can reappear long after you leave detox and rehab. Depression, anxiety and insomnia can increase your stress. It is important that you develop a plan to address these issues before they happen. Knowing what you will do should it happen to you is a good plan for being able to cope when and if it does.

Recognize Signs of Relapse

Impulsive and reckless behavior; making changes to your daily routine; avoiding social gatherings with friends and family and becoming unnecessarily defensive are all behavioral changes that indicate a relapse. If you learn to recognize the signs then when the temptation to drift back into substance abuse occurs, you can fend it off.

Additionally, signs that a relapse is imminent are unproductive decisions, lack of emotional self control, feelings of hopelessness. Research indicates that individuals who experience these feelings may think that just a brief moment of substance abuse will give them clarity, but it can also lead to feelings of guilt from the relapse and could cause you to slip even deeper back into substance abuse.