I Relapsed, Now What?
The reality is that relapse can be a normal part of the recovery journey, especially for those who are new to recovery. No, relapse isn’t a requirement and no one wants to relapse. But there is no use in pretending it doesn’t happen. Relapse can feel like an overwhelming setback when someone has worked hard to stay sober for years. After investing so much effort and energy into achieving long-term sobriety, relapse can seem devastating –even crushing – to someone who hoped they had conquered addiction forever. But relapse does not mean that hope is lost; it’s simply a reminder that recovery is a lifelong pursuit and there will be challenges and ups and down. It’s also a reminder that we must be forever vigilant in guarding our sobriety. With the support of family, friends, and health care professionals, those who have experienced relapse can find the strength to get back on track and continue their progress in their recovery journey. There is always hope for relapse prevention and successful recovery.
By being understanding, patient, and supportive of someone who has relapsed, those in recovery can help each other stay strong and encouraged to continue the path toward sobriety. With hope and perseverance, individuals can find a way back to recovery even after a seemingly catastrophic slip. Recovery is possible for everyone – no matter how many times relapse occurs – as long as one never gives up on themselves or their recovery and they have the capacity to be honest with themselves and others. Honesty and willingness are he keys. With resilience, an open mind, compassion for oneself and others who are struggling with addiction, relapse does not have to be seen as failure but rather a learning experience that makes us stronger each time we face it. If you or someone you know has experienced relapse in the past or present, remember that there is still hope and there is always a way back to recovery.
Finding Hope After Relapse
With relapse, hope can be found in the support of family, friends and health care professionals who understand relapse can happen at any time during recovery – not only when someone is new to sobriety. Through relapse prevention techniques such as attending therapy sessions or working with a substance abuse counselor, individuals can learn relapse triggers and how to effectively manage them. With the right guidance and motivation from those who care about you, you can develop greater and greater resistance against the threat of relapse. The journey may feel difficult at times but it’s important to remember that relapse doesn’t have to mean failure; it just means you are one step closer to achieving lasting sobriety. Although relapse can be difficult to cope with, it is not an end point but a new beginning. With the right help and support from those around you, relapse does not have to mean giving up on recovery –it just means that you need to adjust your approach in order to find success in recovery. No matter how many times relapse occurs, there will always be hope for lasting sobriety and true recovery.
Relapse Isn’t Losing and Recovery Isn’t a Contest
Remember that recovery isn’t a contest and no one who is working a strong program is keeping score on anyone but themselves. Recovery is about quality more than quantity. Yes, we all want to put together as many sober years in a row as possible. That is the ideal. But, in doing that, we never want to lose sight of the fact that doing the work of recovery is the most important thing. Recovery is about more that just staying sober. It’s about being a better human and helping your fellow man or woman. Having hope is a crucial part of recovery. Having hope for what recovery can provide for you and the life it can lead to is the reason many people choose recovery in the first place. If relapse occurs, don’t give up hope! Relapse does not mean failure. It means that something needs to be re-evaluated and adjusted. There is a lesson there. Find it!
Focus on the quality of your recovery rather than the quantity of days sober. Find ways to make small improvements every day, no matter how big or small those steps may be. Little by little, those tiny improvements will add up and recovery will be that much easier. Don’t let yourself get discouraged by the number of days sober, or lack thereof. Be encouraged by the effort you put into recovery daily, no matter how small it may feel at times. It’s important to remember that recovery is a lifelong process with many ups and downs along the way. Relapse doesn’t have to mean the end of recovery, in fact, there is always hope for recovery after relapse if you stay committed and keep striving for improvement each day. Keeping your recovery top priority and focusing on what quality recovery looks like can bring more hope back into your recovery journey than ever before!
Remember This About Recovery
Remember, recovery isn’t just about staying clean; it’s about creating a better life for yourself and the people around you. Quality recovery is the key to hope in recovery!
We want to be empathetic, sober, and to focus on recovery and hope. Both towards others and towards ourselves. Remember, recovery should focus more on quality than quantity. Relapse isn’t necessarily failure but rather an opportunity for growth in recovery and growth is often painful unfortunately. Recovery is a lifelong process with many ups and downs. Finally, don’t forget that recovery isn’t just about staying clean; it’s about creating a better life for yourself, your loved ones and everyone in your life- which can be achieved through focusing on recovery quality.
