If you’ve already started on the road to recovery, you know how difficult it can be. Whether you struggle from painful emotions no longer masked by a substance or compulsive activity, need help with relationships or want to focus on preventing a relapse, our skilled clinicians have additional training in addictions and can help you continue to stay clean.
Some specific situations that can lead to relapse include:
- Loss of a loved one
- Major financial change
- Transition in employment
- Social pressures or conflicts
- Change in marital status
- Boredom with life
- Health issues
Relapse is a process, not an event. In order to understand relapse prevention you have to understand the stages of relapse. Although it may seem to be an impulsive decision, relapse actually starts weeks or even months before the final step.
Relapse has three stages:
- Emotional relapse
- Mental relapse
- Physical relapse
In emotional relapse, you’re not thinking about using but your emotions and behaviors are setting you up for a possible relapse in the future.
The signs of emotional relapse are:
- Anxiety
- Intolerance
- Anger
- Defensiveness
- Mood swings
- Isolation
- Not asking for help
- Not going to meetings
- Poor eating habits
- Poor sleep habits
In mental relapse part of you entertains using while part of you resists. In the early phase of mental relapse you think idly about using but in later stages the thoughts become stronger.
The signs of mental relapse are:
- Thinking about people, places, and things you used with
- Glamorizing your past use
- Lying
- Hanging out with old using friends
- Fantasizing about using
- Thinking about relapsing
- Planning your relapse around other people’s schedules
Finally in the last stage, the actual physical relapse happens.
Relapse prevention
Relapse prevention means recognizing that you’re in emotional relapse and changing your behavior. If you don’t change your behavior at this stage you can become exhausted, want to escape, and then move into mental and then physical relapse.
Practice self-care
Self care, including eating healthy foods, getting regular sleep, and spending time with those who can emotionally support you, is crucial to staying clean.
If you need support in maintaining your sobriety, our experienced staff is ready to help. We accept many forms of insurance and offer evening and weekend appointments for your convenience. Contact us to make an appointment, we are ready to help you on your journey.
