Drug treatment can be successful. However, there may be times when someone can relapse. We’ll be taking a look at 11 key reasons why someone may fall back on drugs.
It’s always a good idea to know what could be the cause of a relapse. That’s why it’s important to unveil the list now before you or during your treatment. If you need help with drug recovery, you can visit the Infinite Recovery website.
Let’s take a look now at the following eleven reasons, so you know what to avoid resulting in a potential relapse.
Withdrawal symptoms
You may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. It may be easier to get rid of them by staying on drugs. Depending on how long you have been addicted, some withdrawal symptoms can last for months.
You may suffer from something known as post-acute withdrawal symptoms. That’s why it’s always a good idea to consider inpatient treatment so you can prevent serious ones from happening. In-home detox is too risky and can lead to fatal consequences.
Mental health issues
Your mental health issues can be manageable. However, it’s always a good idea to treat it in an alternative manner. Many people will fall back on drugs in an effort to self-medicate and dull the symptoms.
This should never be the case. If you are treated for a mental disorder, make sure you follow your treatment plan. You may be treated for a dual diagnosis as well (mental illness and addiction).
You’re in the wrong places
You may be in the wrong environment. For example, you may be at a party where alcohol and drug use is widespread. This will increase the temptation to partake in drugs.
You think that ‘one time’ will be enough. But soon, you’ll get back on the drugs regularly. Once again, you’ll be going through the same issues you have dealt with in the past.
Hanging with the wrong people
You may be surrounding yourself with the wrong people. These are the kind of people who will pressure you to use drugs again. You may refuse at the outset.
But you can be sure that they will goad or even intimidate you. Either way, you need to steer clear of these people as soon as possible. They are the kind of people who will challenge your sobriety.
Lack of self-care
Self-care is one of the cornerstones of beating addiction. You’ll feel better knowing that you can take the best care of yourself. That’s why it is important to consider following a self-care routine each day.
Failure to do this can send a message. That message is that you don’t care about yourself. You care about yourself well enough to stay away from drugs (up to this point).
However, you may fall back if things get low. Don’t let anything bad get to you. Take care of yourself inside and out.
You’ll thank yourself later in the future. Eat better, work out regularly, and be sure to steer clear of any environments or people that can lead to a relapse.
Objects
There are certain things that can trigger a potential relapse. This can be something as small as a syringe. You may remember a time when you were injecting drugs into your system.
It’s important that you increase your awareness. Some things can remind you of your addiction. And it’s always a good idea to make the right decisions.
You decide to continue moving forward and think less of the object. Or you can associate it with a drug of choice you’ve used in the past.
Boredom/isolation
You may feel bored and have nothing to do. To make things worse, you might be alone. That’s why you’ll want to consider positive activities.
You may feel like nothing might kill the boredom. So drugs may be the answer since the ‘high’ can make you feel good. However, it’s nothing you want to do when you feel bored and alone.
Too much pride
When you beat your addiction, you might not be cured entirely. However, you can still relapse. That’s why it is important to keep the chances as low as possible.
You may feel like you’re untouchable. You may feel like you can do enough drugs and never get addicted again. Yet, that’s not the case.
When you get back on drugs, you’ll be back to where you were. You’ll be back to your old habits, and you’ll feel like you’ve fallen farther down. Don’t let drugs be your downfall (especially if you feel like you’ve gotten over your addiction fully).
Poor relationships
You may be dealing with poor relationships with friends, family, or your significant other. That’s why it’s important to make sure you keep things positive with them. If there is negativity in your relationships, figure out what could be causing them.
If they are toxic people, you’ll want to break off these relationships. It may be even tougher to distance yourself away from family. You owe it to yourself not to get into bad relationships (or stay in them, for that matter).
Poor emotions
You may be feeling sad, and the only solution may be drugs. This should not be the answer. Instead, you want to do other things, such as talk to someone or do a fun activity.
If you feel like you’re losing interest in the things you love, you may need to talk to a professional. You might have your bad days. But at this point, you’ve survived 100 percent of them.
Stress
Stress cannot be avoided. But you can be able to cope in different ways. This can include practicing regular mindfulness exercises.
However, drugs are not the best way to treat stress. Again, using drugs to self-medicate is never the issue. With mindfulness, you can be able to identify what’s stressing you out (and be aware of it).
You’ll be able to find better ways to control stress without relying on drugs.
