According to various estimates, up to 70-90% of drug and alcohol addicts experience relapse — a return to substance use after recovery from addiction. Why does this happen? It’s all about the fact that you can’t completely recover from addiction, there is no magic pill. After abusing drugs and alcohol, changes occur in the body that can take years or even a lifetime to become apparent.
Should you give up and prepare for another relapse? Not necessarily! It can be prevented if you know the main signs that precede a return to substances.
Relapse after rehabilitation
Rehabilitation programs are designed to completely rid the body of psychoactive substances, prevent the use of drugs and alcohol, and provide psychological and psychiatric help to teach a person how to live a normal life without substances.
But after recovery, the person begins to take responsibility for their actions on their own. A bad environment, problems in the family, loss of a job, or a general decline in health can be a trigger to use a dose. Unfortunately, this happens very often.
If there is a relapse, it is better to immediately seek alcohol or drug treatment in a rehabilitation center. The sooner this happens, the less time it will take for specialists to provide all the conditions for recovery.
How to recognize a relapse
It is not 100% certain that a particular person will start using drugs or alcohol again today or tomorrow. But there are a number of markers that can help you recognize risk factors.
These are usually:
- Self-isolation, where a person is withdrawn and their behavior is different than usual. This is one of the most obvious signs and is easy to recognize if the addict lives with family;
- A return to triggers. A large part of the rehab process addresses triggers that cause persistent associations with substances. This often involves a change of environment and surroundings. If a person reconnects with their previous life after a period of time in rehab, this is often a sign that a relapse is imminent;
- A sudden change in mood. The “rosy clouds” state after rehab is often followed by a crisis period, which can be accompanied by depression, unmanageable stress, or increased anxiety. This often leads to the idea that life is much better with drugs and alcohol.
The real “bell ringing” for others is the situation when a former alcoholic or drug addict begins to reason about the lack of treatment results. About the fact that rehabilitation did not yield anything and he/she still wants to use. This is a clear reason to seek counseling from specialists. It is with them that he should share his doubts, not with others. Only an experienced doctor will be able to choose the right supportive therapy to prevent relapse.
Stages of relapse
A person who is prone to relapse usually goes through several stages:
- emotional. These are any thoughts associated with using. These are usually negative and do not involve relapse. But any thoughts about substances, especially if they are associated with feelings of guilt for their previous behaviors, can trigger a relapse;
- mental. When thoughts of drugs become uncontrollable, the addict begins a phase of internal struggle. This is an acute phase that requires prompt medical intervention;
- physical. This is the stage in which a person moves from thoughts to actions. The first dose of drugs or alcohol entails drug marathons or constipation.
Preventive measures
The main way to prevent relapses is supportive therapy. It may include regular visits to psychotherapists and participation in group therapies.
An experienced professional can help with a clear plan for the coming years. If followed, the post-rehab phase will not be able to change the desire to stay sober permanently.
Another important point to internalize is that you can’t be afraid to show your weakness. Many people go back to drugs and alcohol simply because they are ashamed to share their thoughts with others. They believe it makes them look weak. Therefore, at any sign of relapse, you should seek help. This is much better than another “first dose”, which can always be the last because of an overdose.
