When a person has an addiction, they may go through different stages that shape their journey towards full recovery. To overcome their addiction, the best option is always to follow a treatment programme at a detox centre. Putting yourself in the hands of professionals is the route most likely to succeed. However, this process is not always plain sailing. It is common for many patients to experience a relapse in their addiction and return to mechanisms that harm their daily life. Even so, a relapse does not have to be seen as a failure, and it is even possible to come out of it stronger on the path to recovery. You simply have to accept that relapse is another element that may occur, but one that, with help, you can overcome and move forward.
What is relapse?
We can define relapse as the return to the behaviour and thought patterns typical of active addiction that had already been overcome. This involves returning to drug use and going back to the state prior to recovery. It should be understood that relapses do not necessarily have to be seen as a failure in treatment. On the contrary, they can be considered a learning experience within the recovery process, so that the patient realises that there is something they are not doing properly.
Giving up an addiction means changing deeply ingrained behaviours, so it is often easy to fall back into them. In general, the relapse process consists of risky decisions that are made and that, together, form the pathway to relapse. These decisions on their own are considered relatively risky and may seem unimportant. However, their effect is cumulative, and the person ends up reaching a point where they can no longer resist temptation and will end up using.
Symptoms of a Relapse
When a person experiences a relapse during their addiction treatment, there are a number of symptoms that may indicate they are going through that difficult time. Among the most common symptoms are:
- Returning to obsessive thoughts about drug use
- Feelings of anxiety and depression that may not be related to any particular event
- Frequent arguments at home and with the family
- Increased irritability and/or resentment, especially in the closest environment
- Insomnia and restlessness, as well as thoughts related to physical appearance and money
- Neglecting the recovery plan by stopping attending meetings, missing appointments with the therapist, failing to follow the daily routine plan, etc.
- Defiant behaviour regarding the recovery plan, which becomes more evident when the patient returns to high-risk places or gets in touch with people associated with use
- Isolation or loss of contact with other people
- Defensive attitude when discussing their treatment and recovery
How does a relapse occur?
Typically, there are three high-risk situations that can lead to a relapse during addiction treatment. These are: negative emotional states (irritability, anxiety, depression, etc.), interpersonal conflicts (difficulties at work, arguments with a partner, etc.) and social pressure (invitations to use, social or work environments where addictive behaviour is common, etc.). The context in which most relapses tend to occur is one in which the patient has not been able to identify a particular situation as risky. For example, going into a bar for a coffee and ending up ordering an alcoholic drink. Another situation that often triggers a relapse is not knowing how to apply appropriate coping strategies in an unexpected situation (for example, refusing an invitation to gamble using the phrases learned during treatment).
A distinction must be made between an initial lapse (an isolated episode) and a relapse (a return to the levels of addictive behaviour or substance use prior to treatment). Although the first case may be a one-off, very often the initial lapse leads to relapse. Moving from one situation to the other will depend on the person’s perception of failure and the loss of confidence in their ability to maintain the therapeutic goal that has been set. Several factors determine the intensity with which a person will experience an initial lapse emotionally. For example, the importance of the goal of controlling the addiction in their life, the effort made to maintain this goal, the level of personal commitment to therapy, and, finally, the reaction of friends and family.
Relapse prevention mechanisms
Once control over the behaviour has been regained, it becomes necessary to act to prevent future relapses. At a therapeutic level, this involves developing specific skills to prevent relapse (or to interrupt it, if it has occurred), and it also involves a general change in the patient’s lifestyle. Basically, it is about identifying the risk situations that can trigger a relapse, learning appropriate responses to cope with these situations, and modifying cognitive distortions about their ability to control addictive behaviours. In addition, it is advisable to modify expectations about the consequences of addictive behaviour and to address self-deception mechanisms (for example, the thought that nothing bad will happen if they place a bet just once).
Finally, with a view to a longer-term process, it is beneficial to carry out a series of actions. Above all, to combat cravings for the addictive behaviour. It is also necessary to resolve specific problems such as anxiety or depression, and to introduce lifestyle changes. In this way, the patient will be able to find other alternative sources of gratification to the addictive behaviour. CCAdicciones is a detox centre where we have the best professionals to help you if you are addicted to any drug or have any other addiction. Contact us if you think you need help to regain control of your life.
