This may vary from person to person and be influenced by things such as extent and length of use. Talking openly about a lapse or relapse with a care team can help you develop and strengthen your relapse prevention plan and identify how to get back on track with your recovery goals. For those who have experienced multiple relapses, a more intensive approach or trying a different evidence-based treatment may be helpful.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
While one drink can seem harmless, people in alcohol addiction recovery can find it difficult to avoid the triggers and situations that can lead to an alcoholic relapse. Unfortunately, a relapse during alcohol addiction recovery is a common occurrence, but it does not constitute a failure in treatment or in the person trying to recover. While no one wants to experience a relapse, it does present an opportunity to figure out why it occurred and work toward finding better ways to remain sober after treatment. Preventing alcohol relapse is a critical component of recovery for individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). A multifaceted approach, often recommended by experts in the field, includes a combination of therapy, medication, and support systems. Whether on your own, with a rehab counselor, or through your support group, you should create an alcohol relapse prevention plan.
The Three Stages Of Relapse
If you’re not already seeing a mental health specialist or therapist, marijuana addiction find one now. Even if you don’t understand why you’re feeling like this, you can at least recognize that these people have been there for you in the past and deserve your transparency. If you are experiencing extreme overwhelm and hopelessness right now, you are at risk of relapse.
Stages of a Relapse
Chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes also have relapse rates, yet no one considers a flare-up of those conditions as a failure; rather, it’s a sign that adjustments are needed. No relapse is too big to recover from, and in fact, you can take immediate action to regain your sobriety. However, it’s important to assess the relapse and identify things you can change or adapt to prevent a similar experience in the future. Recovery is lifelong, and a relapse can happen at any time, even after years of not drinking. Think about things that led to or worsened this relapse and how to remove them from your life.
- It’s diving back into the lifestyle you spent so much hard work escaping.
- If a lapse or relapse does occur, it is beneficial to get help or support as soon as possible.
Returning to rehab provides structured intervention, reassessment of the recovery plan, and reinforcement of coping skills important for relapse management. Types of mindfulness and coping skill practices include deep breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, journaling, and yoga. Long-term use of these relapse prevention techniques reinforces emotional resilience and reduces vulnerability to relapse as recovery progresses.
Withdrawal symptoms
It should give you a clear idea of what to do and how to stay on track. Long-term outpatient programs and aftercare plans sustain recovery through regular therapy sessions, medication management, and check-ins. Ongoing monitoring via urine tests or digital tools (e.g., apps) tracks progress and flags risks. The key difference lies in the recovering person’s intentions and response.
It can lead to people experiencing cravings, which is the most common reason for relapse. If you or someone you know is experiencing cravings, it’s essential to learn about the causes of relapse. A person can learn how to prevent relapse and get the benefits of support from one of the treatment programs at BlueCrest Recovery Center. Contact us today to learn more about our treatment programs and the treatment plan that will work the best for you. We will also outline some of the common warning signs of alcohol relapse as well as what to do when an alcoholic relapses. The prevalence of alcohol in Alcohol Relapse everyday life, from TV advertisements to happy hour invites from coworkers, means the temptation to have even just a casual drink is extremely high.