What is Chronic Relapse?
Relapse can happen for various reasons, including emotional distress, environmental triggers, or even complacency in recovery. Understanding that relapse is a symptom of the disease rather than a moral failing is crucial to managing and treating addiction effectively.
How Can You Prevent Chronic Relapse?
Triggers are situations, emotions, or people that increase the likelihood of substance use. Identifying these triggers is the first step in preventing relapse. Triggers can be internal, like stress or anxiety, or external, like being in environments where substance use is common.
Having a reliable network of family, friends, and support groups can provide the encouragement and accountability needed to stay sober. Regular attendance at support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can reinforce commitment to sobriety.
Learning new ways to handle stress and emotions is essential. This might involve practicing mindfulness, engaging in physical exercise, or participating in therapy. Healthy coping mechanisms replace the need to turn to substances during challenging times.
Therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), helps individuals recognize and change patterns of thinking and behavior that lead to relapse. Ongoing counseling can provide continuous support and help manage any underlying mental health conditions contributing to addiction.
Structure and routine provide stability, reducing the chances of relapse. Having a daily schedule that includes work, hobbies, and self-care activities can keep the mind focused and away from thoughts of substance use.
For some individuals, medications can help manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. MAT should be combined with therapy and other support systems for the best results.
What are the Risks of Chronic Relapse?
After a period of abstinence, the body’s tolerance to substances decreases. If an individual relapses and consumes the same amount of a substance as they did before quitting, they are at a higher risk of overdosing. This is particularly true for opioids, where the margin between a therapeutic dose and a lethal dose is small.
Each relapse can lead to a deeper sense of shame, guilt, and despair, exacerbating mental health issues like depression and anxiety. This can create a vicious cycle where mental health deteriorates, leading to further substance use as a means of coping.
Chronic substance use can lead to severe health problems, including liver disease, cardiovascular issues, and weakened immune systems. Repeated relapses worsen these conditions, leading to long-term health consequences.
Chronic relapse can strain relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Trust is often eroded, and rebuilding these relationships can be challenging but is critical to long-term recovery.
Substance use can lead to legal issues, such as DUI charges, or financial difficulties, especially if the addiction leads to job loss or expensive treatment. Chronic relapse can worsen these problems, making recovery even more difficult.
Triggers for Relapse
- Stress: High levels of stress from work, relationships, or personal issues can push individuals toward substance use as a coping mechanism.
- Emotional Distress: Feelings of loneliness, anger, or sadness can lead to a desire to numb emotions through substance use.
- Social Pressure: Being in environments where substances are present makes it challenging to resist the urge to relapse and use again.
- Complacency: Overconfidence in maintaining sobriety can cause individuals to lower their guard, increasing the risk of relapse.
- Environmental Cues: Specific places, people, or situations associated with past substance use can trigger powerful cravings and relapse.
- Boredom: Lack of engaging activities or idle time can lead to restlessness and a desire to use substances to fill the void.
- Fatigue: Physical exhaustion or lack of sleep weakens mental resilience, making it harder to resist cravings and stress, leading to relapse.
- Unresolved Mental Health Issues: Untreated conditions like depression, anxiety, or trauma increase the likelihood of using substances as self-medication.
- Relationship Issues: Conflicts or tensions in relationships can cause emotional distress, prompting individuals to seek comfort through substance use.
- Positive Emotions: Excitement or euphoria during celebrations or achievements can trigger relapse as individuals seek to enhance those feelings.
- Routine Disruptions: Changes in daily routines, such as moving or work schedule changes, can create instability, increasing relapse risk.
- Access to Substances: Easy access to substances, whether through friends, family, or the environment, strongly triggers relapse without effective coping strategies.
- Isolation: Spending too much time alone without support can lead to feelings of loneliness, increasing the risk of returning to substance use.
- Financial Problems: Stress from financial difficulties can increase anxiety, making individuals more likely to turn to substances as a coping mechanism.
What Are the Stages of Relapse?
During this stage, individuals may not consciously think about using substances, but their emotions and behaviors may lay the groundwork for relapse. Signs include isolating oneself, not attending support group meetings, and experiencing mood swings.
In this stage, individuals may start to entertain thoughts of using substances again. They might reminisce about past use, downplay the consequences of relapse, or struggle with cravings. This stage is characterized by an internal battle between wanting to stay sober and the desire to use.
A physical relapse occurs when the individual starts using substances again. This stage can be a single use or a return to regular substance use. Once a physical relapse happens, it’s crucial to seek immediate help to prevent further damage.
How Can Crestview Help Stop Chronic Relapsing?
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors related to substance use.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Helps individuals manage emotions and develop healthy coping strategies.
- Holistic Approaches: Integrates alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, and nutrition to support overall well-being.
Our programs include:
- Residential Treatment: Provides a structured and supportive environment for intensive recovery.
- Partial Hospitalization: Offers a higher level of care than outpatient treatment, with access to medical and therapeutic support during the day.
- Intensive Outpatient Care: Allows individuals to receive treatment while maintaining daily responsibilities like work or school.
- Sober Living Support: Provides a safe, substance-free environment to reinforce recovery after treatment.
- Aftercare and Support: Ensures continuous guidance and resources to help maintain long-term sobriety after initial treatment.
Crestview also emphasizes dual diagnosis treatment, recognizing the critical link between mental health and substance use and ensuring that both aspects are treated concurrently to prevent relapse. We provide continuous aftercare and support to help individuals maintain long-term sobriety. Reach out to us and discover how we can support your recovery journey!
