Relapse – it’s the number one feature of nearly any addiction that tends to remain the same across the board. It’s also one of the most painful aspects of any addiction treatment program and it plagues most every recovering addict at least once and typically many times throughout their lives. Relapse happens to the vast majority of addicts who find themselves picking up the pieces of recovery and starting over time and time again.
The reality is that most people who struggle with addiction will relapse many times and will return to using drugs or alcohol despite their attempts to get sober. Addiction is a disease and it is plagued by chronic relapse which can be both frustrating and painful for patients and their loved ones.
What causes relapse?
Various factors can result in relapse but the most common reasons for relapse to occur include:
Drug cravings or some type of drug reminder such as seeing the drugs, smelling the drugs, thinking about the drugs or the things that one used to do while using drugs or dreaming of the drugs
Being in a bad mood, getting stressed out or feeling down can lead to relapse in an effort to “feel” better
Being happy, elated or celebrating can lead to relapse to “have fun”
Using a very small amount of a drug or alcohol after one has already completed detox can lead to relapse because “one is never enough”
Everybody is motivated differently but the motivations for an addict or a recovering addict to use drugs are often similar. Once the motivation to use drugs or alcohol after treatment has been triggered, the craving to fulfill the desire can become so overwhelming that the user will give in—thus relapse occurs.
How Can Relapse be avoided?
Although relapse is one of the most difficult and painful parts of overcoming addiction in many cases, it can be avoided. Rehab centers provide various types of counseling, therapy and aftercare programs to aid the recovering addict in preventing relapse and learning how to avoid situations in which relapse would be likely to occur. While you can’t avoid all stressful situations and you of course wouldn’t want to avoid being happy, there are some actions you can take to avoid relapse which include:
Learning how to cope with stress in a manageable and effective manner such as by exercising, or talking with a friend, family member or counselor
Refraining from situations that would cause you to be around the drugs or alcohol—an alcoholic should not hang out at a bar, a drug addict should not hang around the people whom they previously used drugs with
Maintaining the aftercare program and following the recommendations of doctors and counselors
If you or someone you love has undergone treatment for drug or alcohol addiction and has relapsed, consider contacting a treatment center immediately for help. The faster a recovering addict gets back on the bandwagon to recovery following relapse the easier it will be for them to continue moving forward with their treatment. For more information or for help coping with addiction, relapse and recovery call 888-646-0635Who Answers? to speak with a RehabCenters.com specialist today.
Pain killer addiction can pose serious challenges in treatment. Many different methods of pain killer addiction treatment exist to help people who suffer from physical dependence to reclaim their lives and get on the right path to sobriety and long term recovery. For most recovering addicts, the first step in healing is to spend time in….
Some individuals truly need inpatient care for one reason or another, but since these programs are generally more expensive than outpatient centers, they sometimes do not attend the programs they require. In actuality, there are inpatient and residential treatment programs that do provide low-cost and even free care to patients who need it. How Many….
Statistics show that there are millions of people who suffer from drug addiction and need drug treatment in the United States alone yet less than 3% of them will ever be admitted to a drug treatment center. Residential treatment centers provide the necessary treatment for an addict to break the cycle of addiction and begin….
Palm Partners of Delray Beach, Florida provides the most private luxury rehab center in the country offering exclusive help for business executives, professional athletes and celebrities. (Delray Beach, Florida: 8/11/2011): Palm Partners introduces a private, ultra confidential, ultra luxury rehab center that provides the most effective addiction treatment services in the industry. Located in Delray….
Out of all of the treatment options available for helping you recover from a drug addiction, why should you consider a luxury drug rehab center? There are many reasons why this type of rehab center might be just the right fit for you, and help you find your path to sustainable recovery. 1. Reduce Stress….
There are many misconceptions about rehab and rehab centers, just about as many as there are about drug addiction itself. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, rehab is an effective treatment for drug addiction and other addiction disorders. Since this is true, it is important to understand all of the things that people….
When you enter drug rehab you will spend a lot of time with your drug counselor so it’s important that you understand who they are and how they can help you. If you don’t feel comfortable with your drug counselor than you won’t be able to get the most out of your treatment and therefore….
Certainly, addiction crosses all barriers: gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age group, etc. And, all of these people also face the risk of a dual diagnosis, a situation in which a person receives more than one diagnosis for concurrent conditions, like addiction and depression for example. But, a recent study indicates non-heterosexual women who have….
Are you the friend or family member of a known addict? Did you know that sometimes it’s the friends and family members that actually help save the life of the addict by making the call and helping them get into drug rehab to get help for their addiction? It’s not just the addict who can….
Sometimes it’s not as easy as you would think to recognize the signs of teenage drug abuse but for the parent of a teenager, a firm understanding of the signs and symptoms of drug abuse is vital. If you can recognize the early signs that your teenager may be abusing drugs then you can quickly….
Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline will be answered or returned by one of the treatment providers listed, each of which is a paid advertiser.
By calling the helpline you agree to the terms of use. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. There is no obligation to enter treatment.
