Getting Back On The Road To Recovery
If you have decided to move ahead with treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, you know it can be a long, difficult process. There is always the chance of a setback, and it is not uncommon for people in drug rehab to suffer a relapse. They may have stopped taking an addictive substance for a period, only to start using again, but should not feel a failure if experiencing a drug relapse.
The chances of relapse may depend on the type of drug you have been using and for how long. The fact is, certain substances are more addictive than others, and you may have a higher propensity for relapse. For instance, heroin and other opioids like hydrocodone and oxycodone have amongst the highest relapse rate, alongside stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine and benzodiazepines such as Valium.
But how would you define a relapse? It can be difficult as people may suffer various setbacks when trying to give up drugs, and the term relapse many cover a wide area. It may refer to someone taking drugs after they have completed treatment and abstained for a while, leading to a return to rehab.
In some cases, it may be a temporary slip, where a person may `fall off the wagon` for a moment before continuing their recovery. However, on the other hand, some may have a full relapse, where they begin retaking drugs like they used to, back in the throes of dependency, which an addict in recovery wishes to avoid.
What Causes A Relapse?
If you have stopped using drugs, unfortunately, it is not uncommon to suffer to relapse. However, if you are concerned, you may be falling back into old habits, there are various signs to watch out for, which could indicate a relapse. By familiarising yourself with the symptoms, you could take the appropriate steps to prevent yourself from using again.
There are a broad range of common physical, psychological and behavioural indicators. Ranging from increased drug cravings to noticeable changes in personality. You could have sudden mood swings and signs of mental health disorder such as anxiety and depression. If you are in danger of relapsing, you may be increasingly irritable and secretive, where you may not wish to talk about what’s going on and may even deny your behaviour.
You may avoid interacting with friends or loved ones, and be prone to making irrational, impulse decisions or lashing out. In the end, you may revert to former routines, socialising with bad influences encouraging your habit, or returning to old hangouts, where you used to take drugs.
There are various ways to deal with your cravings and prevent relapse. You could avoid a setback by identifying the multiple triggers which could make you start using again, even if it means changing certain aspects of your life.
It could affect your social life, where you may no longer attend bars or nightclubs where people are taking drugs. You may also give in to peer pressure and use once more. Especially when around friends or even loved ones misusing addictive substances, possibly at a party or on a night out.
There is a broad cross-section of triggers, from the physical and spoken to the behavioural, where a person’s environment or upbringing may contribute to them using again although there are numerous measures and coping strategies, you could employ to address your issues and avoid a relapse.
In most cases, people fighting drug addiction do not intend to relapse, and it can be a slow, progressive process. There are often three distinct stages.
Commons Addiction Relapse Triggers
Angry, Lonely, Tired
Moreover, if you are currently under high stress, or experiencing work, money or relationship problems, alongside other concerns, can cause a relapse. Some people have started retaking drugs if feeling bored, restless or dissatisfied.
Emotions
First off, there is what is known as an emotional relapse, which encompasses many areas, but mostly refers to someone who had stopped taking drugs having the same thoughts and feelings they had when they were using. In the course of emotional relapse, you may not consciously consider getting high, but your behaviour may be equitable to relapsing. You might not be able to accept the fact you were using again while showing the signs of addiction from becoming irritable and anxious to shutting yourself off from family and friends.
Mental or physical illness
Depression, anxiety, and other underlying mental illnesses can trigger drug or alcohol relapse. Physical illness and pain can also put you at risk for relapsing, as your body is stressed.
Stress could possibly be the number-one addiction relapse trigger because of its broad range of effects on the mind and body. Losing a job or loved one, increased responsibility at home or work, and health problems can all create increased stress. The key here is being proactive about stress prevention and being mindful (and honest) about what causes stress for you.
Over-confidence
The next stage is commonly referred to as the mental relapse, where a former user considers returning to their old ways and tries making a cohesive argument, to convince themselves they are right. This can lead to an intense sense of conflict, where an addict may feel the need to use drugs, with full knowledge, it could derail their rehabilitation.
The last stage of relapse is the physical side, where a recovering addict will actually start using drugs again, which may eventually lead to another stay in rehab.
If you have problems with drug addiction, it is well known for the first six months after you stop using is when you are most at risk of relapsing. However, there are steps you can take to prevent relapse and maintain your recovery.
This can be achieved by proceeding with a follow-up or aftercare plan when you leave rehab or attending a 12-step rehab programme at a support group like Narcotics Anonymous.
What Happens if I Relapse?
With a strong support network of friends and loved ones, as well as speaking to a counsellor, you can learn to recognise and eradicate possible triggers. This could help you develop new coping strategies, to overcome negative thoughts and feelings, which could lead to drug abuse. It is also possible to negate relapse by attending outpatient programs or so-called sober social activities to alleviate boredom or restlessness
If you committed to carrying on with your recovery and reducing the possibility of relapse, you could re-enter rehab treatment. Affording you the opportunity to attend one on one therapy where, through counselling and therapy techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy, you can deal with issues which could curtail your rehabilitation programme and cause you to go back to drugs.
It is a fact a large percentage of people who give up drugs often experience a relapse. It is nothing to be ashamed of and does not have to define your recovery. It is possible to recognise the signs and avoid relapse altogether, of if you do happen to slip, to put it behind you and carry on with rehab. We all fall down from time to time, but you can always get back up again.
