What to Do After a Relapse: Steps for Recovery Overcoming a Relapse: Your Guide to Recovery & Support
Instead, relapse is a bump in the road and a clear indication that you need more support. Rather than going back to inpatient treatment, for example, you can choose a more flexible drug or alcohol outpatient program. This way, you can still work and maintain your responsibilities while having access to more support. Active participation in recovery meetings, peer mentorship, and social support networks fosters accountability and encouragement. Recovery is not a solo process—staying engaged with a community is key in how to deal with a relapse.
Treatment
Understanding that participants have work, family, and other commitments, ARTS IOP offers evening and weekend sessions for added convenience. This flexibility enables individuals to receive support without disrupting their lives. Stress-relieving techniques are critical for coping in sustained recovery. Whatever it is, it’s time to reassess and revise at this stage. Remember that others in your community have relapsed and yet, they still achieved their long-term goal of abstinence. Talk to your primary healthcare provider about the best way to detox after a relapse.
Treatment Guide
Most people in recovery are always at risk for relapse. They recognize that they can’t have one drink or let their guard down for a single day. They’re constantly practicing coping skills, stress-relief techniques and healthy habits. As people progress through the stages of relapse, they exhibit various warning signs. By recognizing warning signs that you or a loved one may be headed for relapse, you can take steps to prevent it from occurring.
Treatment & Support
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. You need time to heal and recover from a relapse, as well as reassess how to move forward. This may mean decreasing your hours at work or stepping down from a leadership position. While this can feel like you’re going backwards in your recovery, you are not.
- The rate of relapse and whether you lapse into a full-blown relapse will depend on the person and the circumstance, but it is not a sign of failure.
- It can bring up guilt, shame, fear, and disappointment.
- This is a slippery slope that can put you right back into the cycle of addition.
- Preparation and planning play key roles in a relapse prevention approach.
- If you have already gone through treatment, ask yourself if your current level of support is still meeting your needs.
- Those who have a lower sense of self-efficacy will be more likely to relapse.
- The earlier you intervene, the better your chances are of staying sober.
And once the recovering person has decided to return to their substance of choice, it’s just a matter of time before they do so. These are the initial warning signs that a recovering person may be skirting the edge of a relapse, and it’s important to recognize them as soon as possible. At this stage, the individual may not even be aware that they’re in danger of a relapse. If this person knew previously about your self-harm, then let them know that you’ve relapsed. Talk to them about what triggered it, and how you’re feeling now.
Mental Health Treatment
Even when a relapse does occur, it is totally possible to get back on track. Access State-Specific Provider Directories for detailed information on locating licensed service providers and recovery residences in your area. Meanwhile, West Coast Recovery Centers helps clients create a safety plan unique to their circumstances and triggers. © Copyright 2025 Rehab 4 Alcoholism, All Rights Reserved. Cookie PolicyWe do not offer specific health advice, nor are we a remote clinical advice service (RCA). We can, with your consent, pass your details to our partners that can offer this.
Ready to make a change?
Reaching out for support marks a step toward reclaiming your path to recovery. It reminds us that facing challenges is a part of the journey, and there are always sources of assistance within reach. Your total well-being goes well beyond just avoiding the substance — it means a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle.
This can then very easily spiral into a full-blown relapse. After this, should you not have effectively managed your emotions, there will likely be a mental relapse. You need to manage your emotions more effectively in order to cut out this stage. Later on, we will discuss how this stage is preventable.
Our IOP is specifically tailored for people who live with depression, anxiety, trauma, and OCD. If you’ve been able to stop self-harming, then that’s already an incredible achievement. When you relapse, it can feel discouraging; you may even feel ashamed. Continuously walking the road of recovery takes a lot of courage, and you can always make a renewed choice to take care of yourself and keep yourself safe.
Some people return to high-risk situations after treatment. They live with spouses Halfway house who use or drink, or they keep the same group of friends. In some situations, people must end relationships with others to fully recover and live healthy lives. For example, they may attend clinics that provide detox but not therapy. In many cases, 30 days of residential treatment and multiple months of therapy are required to prevent relapse. A diabetes relapse is characterized by unhealthy eating behavior.