There are many challenges to face when you are on the road to recovery. One of the biggest obstacles is the chance of relapse, which can have a devastating effect on the process. Falling during recovery may lower your morale and make you feel like you’ve failed, but you need to have the courage to push forward. Relapse is another obstacle to overcome, and with the right support and methods, you can get back on the road to recovery. Here are a few tips for helping you get back on your feet after relapse.
- Let it all out. If you’ve relapsed, it’s okay to come to terms with what has happened and to let it out with a good cry. Bottling up your emotions inside can be harmful, both physically and psychologically. Take a few minutes to simply let your feelings come out, whether it’s done in private or with a close friend or family member.
- Speak with someone. Few things are as difficult as trying to overcome addiction or relapse alone. Find someone to confide in who will boost your morale and who will offer support on the road to recovery. It’s also a good idea to get professional help from client advocates with extensive experience and knowledge within the field. You will need that assistance to keep you from falling once again.
- Don’t view relapse as failure. You shouldn’t consider your relapse as a failure, but rather as a bump in the road. According to statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction relapse follows the same trends as any other chronic disease, such as Hypertension and Type 1 Diabetes. Relapse doesn’t mean failure; it means that treatment needs to be modified and adjusted.
- Learn from your mistakes. What exactly caused you to stumble? Did you expose yourself to certain factors that triggered the relapse? As with any mistake in your life, it’s crucial that you take relapse as a learning experience. Find out who or what caused you to fall, and work on not letting it happen again in the future.
People who fall in recovery must remember that relapse is not an end-all scenario. It may take some time, but with the proper support and treatment, it’s very possible to get back on the right track and to work towards complete recovery.
[cta] What are some methods for motivating you to get back on the road to recovery after relapse? [/cta]