But we keep going, do not give up, and put much work into ourselves daily and consistently. Too much stress can leave you feeling Sober living house overwhelmed, burned out, and at a higher risk of future relapses. After a relapse, it’s important to lighten your load as much as possible. Take on only what you can handle, and concentrate on your recovery.
Recovery Step by Step
It may suggest tools and resources that offer what to do after a relapse information, treatment services, self-help (or “DIY”) tools, and/or ways to connect with others. For any and all suggestions, comments, or questions, please contact Mental Health America. But try not to dwell on the negative feelings that will come up. A lot of us already have negative feelings about ourselves or feel like recovery is something we cannot do after a relapse.
Relapse Risk Factors
- Relapse prevention means looking at your recovery plan as a way of preventing future relapses.
- During a mental relapse, you might start experiencing cravings or think of previous use positively.
- You can also contact us to talk to one of our recovery coaches.
- Research shows that those with strong social networks can increase their likelihood of sustained recovery by up to 50%.
- Call your sponsor, call a friend, or go to a meeting.
- An emotional relapse occurs when you are not even thinking about using alcohol or substances but are also not taking care of your emotional health.
You should avoid going into a binge mode, but even if you go into one, don’t stress yourself, you’re not the only one. 77% of people said they often go into a binge mode after a relapse. They see half-naked women on Instagram, they get urges and relapse. If you’re one of those people, unfollow all the models and any content that can trigger you.
Actions to take if experiencing mental relapse:
- Feeling accomplished might make individuals think they’ve completely beaten their addiction, causing them to let their guard down and neglect self-discipline.
- While concerning, it’s important to remember that it’s not a personal failure, and it doesn’t erase the progress made.
- This means actively and mindfully living in a way that supports sobriety, no matter how difficult and challenging life becomes.
Recovery doesn’t restart with a big dramatic moment. After a relapse, your brain may want to fall into “what’s the point? Access State-Specific Provider Directories for detailed information on locating licensed service providers and recovery residences in your area. If you or someone you know experiences a relapse, there are things that you can do to cope and get help. For example, someone who had developed enough discipline to drink on occasion according to social norms could slip into a session of binge drinking. For a shopaholic trying to follow a budget, a relapse could be going on a full shopping spree.
Without the active support of a community, it’s easy to slip back into an unhealthy lifestyle. A proper and revised relapse plan will help you stay sober following a relapse. Write or journal about the experience, and what triggered the relapse. Write this plan in detail and include the coping mechanisms that haven’t worked for you, but also include the ones you are going to test out in the future. The first stage is called the emotional relapse stage, which starts with the first thought of drinking or using drugs. The term harm reduction is becoming more accepted in the world of recovery.
Set new goals, create a plan to stay on track, and celebrate small victories along the way. Join our supportive sober community where each day becomes a step towards personal growth and lasting positive change. Stress-relieving techniques are critical for coping in sustained recovery. A mental relapse is a mental struggle between the urge to use and a desire to remain sober.
Reevaluate Your Treatment Needs
This guide is for anyone who’s had a setback and isn’t sure what to do next. We’ll explain what relapse is, why it happens, and how you can respond to protect your progress and get you back on track. Talk to your primary healthcare provider about the best way to detox after a relapse. However, addiction is a disease, and you are still vulnerable to relapsing. Maybe you were doing great, and then an unexpected life event threw you off the right path.
Common Causes of Relapse in Addiction Recovery
A self-harm relapse occurs when someone struggles with self-harm after a period of time without these behaviors. Experiencing a relapse can feel like a significant setback. However, it is part of many people’s recovery journey.
But when figuring out how to handle a relapse, there are two things you need to know. First, it’s important to remember that relapse doesn’t define your worth or strength and doesn’t mean failure. In fact, studies show that more than 85% of people struggling with addiction experience a relapse within a year of treatment. A strong support network plays a crucial part in preventing relapses by providing encouragement during challenging times. Engaging with others who understand the struggles faced during addiction recovery can offer valuable insights into overcoming obstacles.
What to Do After a Relapse: 7 Steps to Get Back on Track
A relapse (“lapse,” “slip,” “setback”) is one of the most frustrating, humiliating experiences you can face in recovery from any problem habit. It leaves you feeling guilty, ashamed and tempted to throw in the towel and just keep acting out on the addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40 to 60 percent of people who go through addiction treatment programs go on to slip at least once. In fact, many people have multiple setbacks before finally achieving a full recovery. Perhaps you have been missing support group meetings or other recovery activities, which can play a significant role in staying the course or falling off track.
Being surrounded by understanding and supportive people can significantly impact how you navigate through these moments. Relapse also offers an opportunity to revise your relapse prevention plan. It’s not that your plan failed — it just may need some tweaks to set you up for greater success down the road. Relapse can solidify your decision to quit long-term, leading to the kind of sustainable recovery that you desired all along. If it happened to you, here are some steps you can take to reclaim power over your recovery journey.