Drug Addiction Relapse Is an Opportunity
You relapsed – again. You swore this was the last time, and you were going to finally get it right now. You’ve been through this a hundred times. How does it keep dragging you down again and again? Are you just weak and destined to have this half-drugged life all the time? The thought of it all just makes you more depressed than you already were.
Nobody Enjoys Going Through Addiction Relapse
Relapse is kind of the ugly unpopular part of a person’s addiction recovery. Nobody wants to go there, nobody likes it when they end up there, and it can seem like “relapse” is really a four letter word. To some it may mean failure, not doing recovery the right way. If you did things perfectly, you wouldn’t relapse ever. To others it may mean weakness – their drug addiction has exposed a perpetual defect they can’t fix, which lowers their value as a person. Relapse may even bring back words you have heard others say to you, how drug rehab was pointless and you were just going to end up a loser drug junkie like so-and-so.
Actually, addiction relapse is an opportunity. People can have the same experience “on paper” but have a completely different outlook from it and perception of it. Walk down a busy street during the daytime and one person will only notice the crowded feeling, the noise, and the industrial smells of gas and rubber. Another person taking the same walk will notice the smiling mom and her daughter walking toward them, the bright sunshine, and the crisp hint of autumn in the air.
See Addiction Relapse In A New Light
When you relapse, it’s tempting to beat up on yourself. But take look at it from a different angle. Trace back your steps between when you seemed to be doing OK to when it all hit the fan. Did you start getting overwhelmed with a difficult emotion? Were you lured into spending time with a friend that still uses drugs? Have you been dropping your exercise routine, forgetting your medications, eating or sleeping poorly?
Anyone with a dual diagnosis needs to pay double attention to their relapse. Very likely, a problem with your mental illness could be involved. If it has been in remission, perhaps some symptoms have emerged that you were trying to minimize or ignore. The importance of you thinking you have it under control may have fooled you into pushing aside clear warning signs of your depression, bipolar, anxiety, or PTSD returning with stronger force.
Talk with a few people that you trust will respect your need for sobriety. Have they seen signs of you changing back to some old habits, showing some symptoms of your mental disorder, disregarding their well-meaning suggestions because they thought you might be headed for trouble? Again, this isn’t about lecturing yourself about how you “blew it” yet another time. If you learn something valuable that you have missed through other relapses, you have been given a golden gift.
Dual Diagnosis Drug Rehab Helps Addiction Relapse
If you should find that your relapse has sent your life totally out of control, it may be time to seriously look at dual diagnosis drug rehab. Anyone with a dual diagnosis needs to see their situation as serious as a heart condition or high blood pressure. It needs monitoring, a healthy lifestyle, and occasional intense treatment for flare-ups (relapse). The right drug rehab can make the difference between having lots of relapses or longer sobriety.
Tags: Drug Addiction Relapse Is an Opportunity, Drug Addiction Relpase, drug-rehab
