A great deal of work goes into the process of recovery. Watching yourself work your way up the recovery ladder can be motivating; however, one relapse may push you to feel that you are starting from the bottom all over again. Understanding what leads you to each particular setback is important, but dwelling on the slip of progress is counterproductive.
While relapses are most common within the first few months of recovery, they can occur at any point in the process. Allow yourself the time you need to make your way through the process of recovery within your timeframe. The stages of recovery differ in length between individuals. Shorting your recovery period can lead to future relapses or accentuated false ability in your level of self-control. Many relapses are started from an impulsive decision that the individual is not yet ready to overcome. Facing the situations that lead to a relapse can be hard, but doing so may be essential for you to move forward appropriately.
Adjust Your Mindset
Relapse is a part of recovery. Of those going through treatment for addiction, 40-60% experience relapses, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. One of the most beneficial things to do is change your viewpoint on your relapse. Recovery is rarely ever a straight line: There are many ups and downs. Remember that failure is part of success. View the relapse as a form of progress toward your full recovery. Seek out aspects of your lifestyle that may have contributed to the setback and brainstorm ways to avoid those aspects or situations in the future.
Viewing your relapse as a step toward full recovery allows each point of your journey to be a lesson. Take opportunities of failure to find what doesn’t work for success. With any form of education and progress, we learn the most from our mistakes. A child may place their hand on a hot stove burner without realizing the negative effects it would have afterward. While this learning experience may not be enjoyable for the child, it prevents the child from making the same mistake again in the future. Relapses can be a similar process of learning.
Prevent Future Relapses
Relapses often start with something small that may seem harmless at the moment. Holding yourself to strict boundaries can prevent something minor from turning into a relapse again in the future. Setbacks can be cyclical if the issue is not observed and accounted for. Taking minor setbacks seriously is important to avoid them reestablishing into a habit in your process of recovery. According to Alcoholics Anonymous, setbacks can typically be traced back directly to a specific cause. Observing this cause and the effect in your recovery is essential to moving forward from a relapse.
Be honest about your relapse and your progress. Inform any mental health professionals you are working with of the situation. Be mindful of how your actions and the mistakes you may have made led you to your relapse. Take accountability for it, but don’t allow it to tear down your progress. Inform others in the community of your goals moving forward so they can help you stay accountable. This can also help you keep your goals fresh in your mind. It is okay to admit when you need assistance or are struggling during your recovery process.
In Need of Further Assistance?
If you are not already working with a counselor, therapist, psychiatrist, or some form of a mental health professional, now is the time to start. Having a professional resource to create an individualized treatment plan after a relapse can be a useful support. Internalizing the negative effects of the relapse may cause setbacks to reoccur in the future if not processed. Seeking professional help with this matter can help you get back on track with your recovery.
If you are currently seeing a mental health professional of some sort, inform them of your relapse. Discuss what events may have led to this setback and why you felt obliged to stray from your current treatment plan.
If you are unable to get back on track with your recovery on your own, looking at treatment centers could be very beneficial. A treatment facility can provide you with the environment you need if you feel unable to keep the expectations you have set for yourself. Skills learned in treatment are important to remember and transfer into your life outside of treatment to prevent relapses from inhibiting you from progressing through your recovery.
Recovery is not always a straight line, and it can be very easy to get discouraged during the process. There often will be a relapse that may cause you to feel that your past and current progress is dismissible. Viewing a relapse as an opportunity to learn and set new boundaries for yourself on your journey of recovery is essential to further your progress. Keep your focus on your long-term goals and do not allow a setback to destroy the progress you have made so far. Use this as an opportunity to reestablish your recovery plan and implement new expectations for yourself to continue through your recovery process. Appreciate the progress you have already made and allow relapses to contribute to your future success. You have made it this far, and the best is yet to come. For information, encouragement, or further support, reach out to us at Dream Recovery by calling (949) 732-1960.
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