Overcoming addiction and going through the recovery process does not guarantee life-long sobriety. Unfortunately, many people relapse after they get clean. In fact, around 40-60% of people treated for substance use disorders relapse. This staggering statistic shows just how prevalent relapse is. However, if you relapse, it doesn’t mean your road to recovery is for nothing. Keep reading to learn more about what to do after a relapse so you can maintain long-term sobriety.
At Outpatient LA, we are a leading outpatient drug rehab that’s here to help you overcome addiction and heal your physical, mental, and emotional health for the better. No more suffering in silence with your addiction. We are here to help you receive the right addiction treatment that’s tailored to your unique recovery needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your recovery journey.
5 Steps to Take After a Relapse
The reality is that relapse is one of the biggest threats recovering addicts face in their road to sobriety. Keep reading to learn more about what to do after a relapse below.
1. Acknowledge You Relapse, Without Judgement or Shame
First, it’s important to acknowledge your relapse without judgment or shame. The last thing you want to do is ignore or deny you relapsed. Or, wrongfully assume that just because you relapsed once you’ll never be able to achieve long-term sobriety. These are lies that will keep you from effectively progressing along your recovery journey, even despite a relapse.
2. Ask for Support and Be Honest About Your Relapse
Next, you should always be honest about your relapse to trusted loved ones and any therapists or addiction specialists you may be seeing. You should never lie about your relapse as this can minimize your support from others and increase your risk of relapsing in the future. Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask for help from others after a relapse.
3. Identify and Understand Why You Relapsed
It’s also important to identify any triggers you may have been exposed to so you can better understand why you relapsed. Oftentimes, relapsing doesn’t come out of nowhere. Whether you were surrounded by people who abuse drugs or alcohol or you were going through a stressful life event, it’s important to get the source of why you relapsed so you can lower your risk of relapsing in the future.
4. Consider Seeking Professional Support
Similar to the point of being open and honest about your relapse, you should not be afraid to seek professional support. Seeking professional support will help ensure you learn and establish healthy coping strategies to ultimately reduce your risk of relapsing in the future.
5. Establish Healthy Coping Strategies to Maintain Long-term Sobriety
Last but not least, it’s important to establish healthy coping strategies and stick to them to help you maintain long-term sobriety. Whether that’s journaling, meditating, or exercising, there are a range of healthy coping strategies you can turn to help reduce your risk of relapsing in the future.
If you do relapse during your recovery journey, it’s critical to understand that relapsing doesn’t mean all the progress you made in recovery is meaningless. You should not let relapsing keep you from asking for help from trusted loved ones and seeking professional help to reduce your risk of relapsing in the future. Otherwise, ignoring your relapse will only increase your risk of relapsing again in the future, and harm your overall progress toward achieving long-lasting sobriety.
Help Is Available
Now you know more about the various steps on what to do after a relapse. Unfortunately, relapsing is a major threat that many people struggle with. From acknowledging your relapse without judgment, to asking for support, there are several steps you can take to effectively progress along your recovery journey, even despite relapsing. You should never feel afraid or ashamed asking for help with your addiction– regardless of where you are at in your recovery journey!
At Outpatient LA, our team of experienced addiction specialists is here to help you receive the individualized treatment you need to lead a healthier life. We are here to help guide you along your recovery journey so you can safely heal and improve your quality of life for the better. Contact us today to learn more about how we can best support your road to recovery.