What Does Relapse Look Like? (And How to Fight It)
Drug addiction is extremely common in the United States, with 10 percent of adults developing a drug use disorder at some point during their lives.
The danger and cyclical pattern of drug abuse means that one has to seek out treatment as soon as they can if they want to have hope of getting better. However, drug addiction is a ruthless adversary, and relapse is a scary part of the process.
But does relapse mean exactly? How can you fight it if it’s something you’re going up against? Is there any way to prevent it?
This article will walk you through a brief guide to relapse.
What is Relapse?
Relapse is the return to a former lifestyle of using drugs and thinking in the ways of a user. While this might seem like a failure, it’s actually considered a natural part of the process. Drug relapse rates for certain drugs climb up to as high as 60 percent.
It should be noted that a relapse doesn’t generally mean a single usage, but a recurring pattern. A single usage is known as a lapse. However, single uses are not very common, as addicts are usually instantly thrown back into old patterns of thinking.
Why Do Relapses Happen?
Relapses often happen because people have become a little too confident with their treatment program. While they might take their treatment very seriously in the beginning, they could start to think they “have it under control”, and not watch themselves closely.
When one doesn’t monitor their thoughts closely, it’s easy for them to fall back into old ways of thinking. These can lead to past emotional states creeping up, creating a breeding ground for lapses and relapses.
Warning Signs of Relapses
Typically, relapses happen during periods of depression or emotional change. When someone goes through treatment and recovery, it’s very easy to feel optimistic as you’re affecting a positive change in your life.
However, once that initial stimulation wears off, it’s easy to become bored, sad, and hopeless. After the initial thrill of becoming sober, one has to work to maintain sobriety and still live a fun and fruitful life.
What Can You Do About Relapse?
Get in touch with the drug rehab and a personal therapist as soon as you can. Though drug rehabs are common, they’re still dangerous.
Often, a relapse can work as the perfect time to adjust a patient’s treatment plan, so that sobriety can stick better.
Head over to https://hoperisingrecovery.com/ for information on reliable drug treatment options.
Understand Relapse
Relapse is one of the scariest parts of drug addiction. It can feel like all of your progress has gone to rot. However, understand that relapse is considered a standard part of the addiction process.
Understand what relapses are, why they happen, what the warning signs are, and what you can do about relapses, and you’re far more likely to have a smooth recovery. For more articles like this, check out our “lifestyle” section.
Shipra blends expertise with creativity to deliver insightful articles across various niches such as health, tourism, sports, technology & business, and strives to provide authentic information to worldwide readers.