Relapse Warning Signs to Look Out For
Addiction recovery is something that must be worked on every single day. The path to sobriety looks very different for all people attempting to break the chains of substance abuse. Every year thousands of people seek treatment to quit their drug of choice but end up failing and returning to their addiction. Addiction treatment centers and counselors refer to this sobriety hiatus as a relapse. Since recovery is an ongoing process, relapse is nothing to be ashamed of. However, you can be aware of these drug & alcohol relapse warning signs to try to intervene before your loved one goes back down the path of addiction.
10 Common Addiction Relapse Warning Signs
1: Increase Stress: One of the most important aspects of your treatment plan is to learn healthy coping mechanisms to deal with stress. Whether you have a stressful job, dealing with health issues or everyday stress, you must work closely with an addiction therapist to continually work on ways to deal with stress, emotions & anxiety otherwise drug & alcohol relapse is inevitable.
2: Isolation: If you’ve noticed your loved one has begun isolating themselves from their sober friends, family and sponsor, this is a huge red flag. An addict who has relapsed will use isolation to avoid shame, consequences and hide their drug use.
3: Neglecting Responsibilities: Part of the recovery process is to partake in everyday responsibilities including holding a job, household chores and working the program. If these begin to take a backseat, it is a clear relapse warning sign.
4: Defensive: Your loved one may be embarrassed that they weren’t able to fight the temptations of their disease and become angry, defensive and avoid questioning altogether. This is normal. Make sure you are offering support, guidance & healthy solutions, not being accusatory.
5: Stop Working the Program: Your loved one may begin to express doubts about their own recovery journey, become hostile towards the process and speak negatively about the support staff & their methods.
6: No Interest in Hobbies: Sober hobbies such as exercise, cooking, yoga, hiking or reading are vital to ward off stress and boredoms associated with relapse.
7: Decline in Self-Care: Neglecting health, wellness and personal hygiene should be cause for concern, especially if this is not behavior you’ve experienced with your loved one in the past.
8: Depression & Anxiety: Mental health has a huge impact on whether a person will relapse after treatment. It is important to make sure your treatment center offers co-occurring services to treat both the addiction and the mental health illness.
9: Hanging Out with Friends who Use: Friends, places and triggers from past addictive behaviors should be avoided at all costs to minimize the chance of relapse.
10: Minimizing Relapse Consequences: When you’re in recovery, especially the early stages, there is no such thing as drinking or drugging in moderation. If your loved one has begun downplaying the dangers of having “just one drink” it is time to intervene.
If you or someone you love is suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol, help is waiting at Silver Linings Recovery Center in Langhorne, PA or East Windsor, NJ. Call 1-855-960-3769 24/7 to speak with member of our admission staff.
