Do you know someone who is using alcohol or drugs or someone who is recovering from substance abuse? If yes, you can save their life by knowing what causes a person to use those substances again. Just like chronic health conditions, relapse can happen after a significant recovery period.
If you look at relapse as a common occurrence, it will prevent you from passing judgment on the individual that is suffering. Moreover, you will be able to find a more effective way to support someone who has experienced a relapse. So, below is everything you need to know about relapse and its stages.
Why Does Relapse Happen?
There can be many reasons why people turn back to drugs post-recovery. Some of the main reasons are as under.
- Spending more time with friends with whom they used substances.
- Listening to someone talking about alcohol or drug abuse.
- Visiting the places where they got high.
- Going through difficult times, such as job loss, breakup, death, etc.
- Going through unwanted stress.
Is It Relapse Or Slip?
When an individual in their recovery stage uses a small amount of substances and doesn’t use it again, it is called a slip. For example, a few sips of alcohol, smoking a bit, etc. Though it seems harmless, it may cause a full relapse within the blink of an eye.
A relapse is a critical condition when an individual begins to experience withdrawal symptoms. This is the time when you need to look for detox centers near me and encourage them to go for treatment.
What Are The Different Stages Of Relapse?
Relapse starts long before an individual picks up alcohol or drugs. It consists of three different stages that involve mental, physical, and emotional factors.
Mental Stage
This stage involves an internal struggle between the desire to remain sober and return to using drugs or alcohol. Due to the mental stage, addiction is considered a chronic disorder.
Physical Stage
Perhaps, this is the stage most people think of when they hear about relapse. When someone tries to break their sobriety, taking the substance just once may lead to an intense desire to continue using.
When the person is in drug rehab in Louisville, their tolerance level gets decreased. And the danger of overdose increases. If they take the same dose as before, their body couldn’t tolerate it. Getting the individual to Kentucky alcohol rehab can save their lives.
Emotional Stage
This stage begins even before the person is aware of what is happening. Slowly, they start experiencing negative emotions, like anger, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbances, etc. Also, when they start feeling that their desire to remain in recovery is weakening, this means that relapse is on the horizon.
How Can You Prevent Relapse?
Remember, there is no way to ensure that a relapse won’t occur again. Moreover, going through relapse stages is also a part of the recovery process. The way an individual addicted to drugs or alcohol responds to these stages makes all the difference.
Individuals can learn and apply the skills they learned in the Kentucky drug rehab and continue their journey to sobriety. Besides, below are the ways that can help you prevent relapse:
- Take relapse as a learning lesson.
- Stay away from the temptations, especially during the initial months of recovery.
- When it comes to recovery efforts, don’t get satisfied.
- Talk to your friends, family, and other support groups.
When you are in a rehab facility, it is easy to remain sober. But, when you are outside, you will find temptations everywhere. So, look for a good rehab center and seek professional treatment.
