Holy Week is very close, a holiday period that each year invites people to enjoy the celebrations and various festivities held in all the towns and municipalities of Spain. As is customary in this type of event, relaxation, excess, and the need to enjoy leisure time to disconnect from the usual routine are the main protagonists. And with them, abuse of addictive behaviors and substance use, more than a probability, is a very close reality. Although the lockdown and the Covid19 pandemic remain active, it is very possible that less restrictive measures will soon be issued and the population will choose to temporarily recover their previous lifestyle. For this reason, it is advisable to be alert to any change in behavior to avoid experiencing an episode of dependence or a relapse in addictions. We explain what this phenomenon consists of and how to detect it in time.
Relapse in Addictions: What Does It Consist Of?
A relapse in addictions is, from a technical point of view, the return to patterns of behavior and thought linked to an addiction that was considered overcome. Experiencing this phenomenon implies using the drug again that triggered the addictive disorder and a return to the state prior to the person’s recovery. On the other hand, relapse in addictions should not be understood as a failure in the execution of a treatment. Rather, it can be considered as learning a lesson within the rehabilitation process. With it, the patient must realize that the step taken has been in the wrong direction.
Overcoming an addiction is always a very complex task because it involves changing a behavior that is deeply rooted. Therefore, on many occasions it is easy for a relapse in addictions to occur. Broadly speaking, experiencing it consists of making a series of decisions with a high degree of risk that usually end with a negative result. These, by themselves, do not represent a serious danger. However, when a cumulative effect occurs, the person experiences levels of anxiety and temptation that trigger this event.
How Does a Relapse in Addictions Occur?
Addictions are a difficult disease to overcome. Therefore, one of the best options is always to follow a treatment indicated by a detoxification center. Although it is one of the pathways with the highest probability of recovery, it is a complex and lengthy process. Reasons that explain why many patients end up suffering a relapse in addictions and return to their previous toxic behavior. Even so, a relapse does not have to be seen as a failure, but as an opportunity. If the lesson is taken advantage of, one can emerge stronger from it toward recovery.
There are three types of situations that can lead to experiencing a relapse. These manifest when negative emotional states, interpersonal conflicts, or social pressure are experienced. On the other hand, context plays a key role. It is the element that can create more probability of relapse in addictions when the patient does not know how to identify a specific situation as risky.
As a point of clarification, it is necessary to appreciate the difference between an initial lapse (an isolated episode) and a relapse in addictions (the return to levels of behavior or addictive substance prior to treatment). In the first case, it may be a specific and unique event, but one that often leads to relapse. The transition from one situation to another will vary depending on how the failure is perceived, and how the loss of confidence in the abilities to keep the therapeutic objective on course is viewed.
How to Detect a Relapse in Addictions?
Suffering a relapse in addictions during rehabilitation treatment involves experiencing a series of symptoms. These are indicators and clues that explain what is happening at a physiological and psychological level.
The most common symptoms of a relapse in addictions are:
- Obsessive thinking around drug use
- Anxiety and depression
- Frequent arguments
- Increased irritability and/or resentment
- Insomnia and restlessness
- Neglecting the recovery plan
- Defiant behavior toward their rehabilitation
- Isolation and loss of contact with other people
- Defensive attitude when discussing their treatment and recovery
Preventing a Relapse
At the moment when control over oneself is available, the patient must take action to avoid a possible relapse. From a therapeutic point of view, it involves developing specific skills to prevent it or to interrupt it when it occurs. In addition to an alteration of their lifestyle.
This prevention mechanism seeks to identify situations where there is a higher level of risk and that can cause a relapse. Learning to manage them can help make the rehabilitation process more effective. Prevention includes avoiding self-deception, reducing cravings, psychological disorders derived from addiction, among other tasks. Training will be a resource that will allow the patient to obtain other sources of gratification alternative to the addictive behavior.
CCAdicciones is a drug detoxification center that has the best professionals to help you stop using. Contact us if you believe you need support to regain control over your life.
