Drug Relapse

You built your whole world around the drugs that calm you and make you feel better. You know that they are hurting you. From what the doctor said, you know that you need stop or your liver is going to kill you before you have a chance to grow old. The cocaine that you love so much is messing with your heart as well, and he said that it may be permanent. This is your wakeup call, and you are sad at the fact that you need to stop using. You like the way you feel.

What is a relapse?

You did not realize that you would not only be giving up the happy, sedated, or motivated feelings that the drugs gave you, but that you would have to give up your whole world. There is solace in the fact that you may be able to reestablish bonds with family members and friends that you really miss. But … none of them use drugs and once in a while wouldn’t hurt, right? You should probably keep your relations in the drug circles just in case. This is the thinking that leads to relapse. The chemical changes in the brain have taken away the rationality of the addict, so they do not even realize that they are behaving in illogical ways.

A relapse is when someone misses their old world, can no longer fight the cravings, and they start using drugs after a period of sobriety. Most recovering addicts will have one or more relapses in their journey, and it is considered part of the process. There are two types of relapses:

• Traditional relapse – making a conscious decision to use again.
• Freelapse – when a person accidentally uses again. 

Either way, a relapse is simply a mistake and should be viewed as such. It is important to get back into rehab or on the path of sobriety as soon as possible. Too many users beat themselves up and think that they are a failure, leading to continued drug use. The drugs have already diminished their self-esteem and a slip up only adds to that lack of confidence. The focus is to minimize the chances of relapse and accept them when they happen.

How does a relapse happen?

One of the biggest risks of someone relapsing is that their tolerance has lowered. They may go back to using at the same dosage as when they quit, and their bodies are not able to handle that amount anymore, so they overdose. An overdose is defined as the event when a drug causes harmful and harsh symptoms or death. Someone who has never used drugs may not be able to grasp the enormity of trying everything in their power to “just say no”. Have you ever tried to break a habit? Quit biting your nails, quitting swearing so much, eating only healthy foods...it was difficult, wasn’t it? Now, add in the element of that product changing your brain chemistry to MAKE you think you cannot live without it. However, no one looks down on you or questions your ability to thrive in life if you have another bowl of caramel corn.

Relapse is something that starts to gradually occur for weeks or months before actually physically consuming it. It may start with a trigger causing anxiety. Dealing with the stress in a healthy manner can help prevent relapse. It usually happens in three stages:

• Emotional relapse – The previous user may be feeling anxiety and stress while trying to handle problems using their new coping skills. They may push their feelings down, isolate and neglect themselves, and deny that the problems exist. This lays the groundwork for a future relapse if preventative measures are not taken.
• Mental relapse – They begin to justify their use of drugs. They are conflicted on the pros and cons of not using and may romanticize the past, ignoring the negative consequences produced by the drug use.
• Physical relapse – this is the actual taking of the drink or using of the drugs. Having one hit or snort can quickly blow up into losing control of the situation completely.

Learning how relapses happen and recognizing the signs leading up to them can help prevent their manifestation. The previous addict can change their behaviors and veer in another direction.

What is the best way to handle a relapse?

People who relapse generally feel ashamed and guilty, which are difficult emotions to process even for a someone in a stable mental state. They must either follow the plan that they have in place or follow these steps if they have used drugs again.

• Reach out for help
  • Find support wherever you can from sober people who are trusted. Family and friends who have stuck by you are a great idea, as well as the new friends you have made who are going through the same process.
• Find a meeting within 24 hours
  • Self-help groups like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), NA (Narcotics Anonymous), and SMART Recovery provide a place to go without judgment and learn how others have dealt with a relapse.
• Avoid triggers
  • After relapsing, it will be harder to fight the cravings if you are around triggers and temptations. Removing oneself from situations, people, and places that remind you of using can help.
• Set boundaries and lighten your stress load
  • It can help to avoid people in your life who are negative or are angry all the time, especially those who pressure you to use drugs.
• Take care of yourself
  • Emotional and physical self-care is important after a relapse. Reducing tension and stress can reduce the cravings to use more. It can be done by lightening the load at work or school or doing an enjoyable activity, from reading and journaling to yoga and meditation. 
• Analyze what lead to the relapse
  • Picking apart the process that led up to the relapse can be a learning process in how to prevent it from happening again. Was there a family fight where siblings stopped talking? Did it lead to anxiety with which you were having trouble coping? Did your mental state gradually spiral until you used drugs to make yourself feel better?
• Develop a plan so that you are prepared if you are in this situation again.
  • Writing out a plan may help you prepare to face future scenarios. Perhaps adding in at least three coping mechanisms when you are stressed, as well as a list of your favorite spots for 12-step programs that you can visit whenever you need support. This is flexible and made just for you, so you can adjust it as you continue on your journey. 

The sooner you get back to your life without drugs, the sooner you can get back on track. Deciding if you should go back to your outpatient drug rehab is a different answer for everyone. It may be time to consider inpatient drug treatment if relapse is an ongoing issue for you. If someone has slid so far that they are using regularly again, it seems more of a clear-cut answer; however, it is based on the severity of the addiction and the drug of choice. It is easier to resume your path to sobriety if you realize your mistake quickly and go back to the behaviors that you had learned to help you stay sober. Relapse is one of the parts of recovery that many people do not consider until it happens to them. Family and friends who become educated on addiction can better help their loved ones. Relapse is not something to feel bad about, it is just another part of the learning process.