Between 40% and 60% of people in recovery for a year will relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. 
For many people working on their sobriety, relapse is part of the process. At the time of a relapse, it will feel like a failure, but it doesn’t have to be. Many people who experience a relapse will come back and maintain continuous sobriety for months and years to come. Like everything else that goes into recovery, it is about having the right tools to overcome setbacks.
Change Your Mindset About Relapse
Addiction relies on guilt, self-loathing and shame to keep a grip on your life. Relapse works the same way. If you tell yourself you can’t overcome your addiction or if you are sure you are going to relapse, those thoughts make you vulnerable to your addiction. When a relapse occurs, this way of thinking makes you believe you were right and think of yourself as having failed.
You need to think about relapse differently than just failing. Between 40% and 60% of people in recovery for a year will relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. That statement may make you feel like you can’t stay sober. At least until you realize that the relapse rate of drug and alcohol addiction is similar for other recurring diseases like asthma, hypertension, and some cancers.
You wouldn’t blame someone if their asthma or cancer came back. You would help them and empathize with them as much as you could. Addiction has a stigma surrounding it from years of misunderstanding. However, you need to realize that it is a chronic disease and must be treated like one. This means you need to continue seeking treatment after a relapse to get the disease under control again.
Dealing with Relapse
Suffering a relapse in your recovery doesn’t mean you have failed. It’s a normal part of the recovery process for many people. Relapsing means you must reevaluate your treatment with your doctor or counselor and try another treatment method if necessary.
If you suffer a relapse, don’t isolate yourself and feel that you don’t deserve support and care. All a relapse means is that you need more support and an approach to treatment that works for your situation. If you suffer a relapse, reach out for help immediately to help get your disease under control.
Build a New Life
Recovery involves changing past habits and creating a sober lifestyle. It is understandable that relapses may occur during the process of building a new life. Changing your lifestyle is the first step in recovery. This involves avoiding places you used to take drugs as well as people you used to do drugs with. Addicts must change unhealthy thought processes associated with substance abuse to have a chance at recovery.
Change is always difficult, and there may be more than one relapse during the recovery process. It is possible to lead a sober lifestyle with support from family, friends and counselors. Peer support specialists are also a benefit for many people trying to build a new sober life.
Remember, relapse doesn’t mean you have failed in your sobriety. If you have experienced a relapse or even feel you are on the verge of one, reach out to your doctor or counselor to find the best alternative treatment for you. Altering your treatment can be the best way to get you back on track in your recovery. FBN
By Roy DuPrez
Roy DuPrez is the CEO and Founder of Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery in Flagstaff, Arizona. DuPrez received his B.S. and M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University. Back2Basics helps young men 18 to 35 recover from addiction to drugs and alcohol.
