11 Early Signs of a Relapse
Recovery is a difficult path for many people and relapse is a consistent threat, especially for those who have newly achieved sobriety. Walking a tightrope between believing in yourself and not becoming overconfident; one has to learn to also balance other stressors in their life, along with their physical and mental health, social life, work, etc. It become a delicately balanced system, with each positive activity fuelling the recovery.
However, relapse is real danger that one should be aware of. Some people don’t like to think about relapse, believing that they are totally immune to it. But this attitude makes one narrow-minded and hence more likely to not see an upcoming pothole and stumble in it. To maintain recovery, one must have a realistic perspective, taking into account all the triggers and risk factors.
As they say, a relapse happens first in the mind before it can happen in real life. The duration between the mental beginnings of a relapse and the actual relapse can be that of a few minutes, hours, days, weeks or in some cases even months. So the obvious question arises; how do you catch something that is so evasive and manipulative? And the answer is that we need to identify the early signs of an possible relapse in order to catch it before it catches us off guard. Let’s go over the common early signs of behavior that can predict a relapse:
1) Boredom or dissatisfaction
A few months into recovery, one may start feeling the monotony of life. It feels like one is living the same day everyday and there is no fun, thrill or entertainment in life. If this feeling becomes consistent or aggravated and one does not take steps to stimulate one’s mind, then it can very easily lead to a relapse.
2) Decreased motivation
Entering sobriety, the motivation is quote high and one gets a lot of encouragement and rewards from one’s own body, mind and others around them for remaining sober. But eventually, we can get used to this state and the motivation with which we remain sober decreases. It may show in one’s thoughts and also behaviors such as not doing activities relates sobriety, not going for meetings, avoiding emotional processing, etc. Motivation is like a muscle, if it’s not exercised then it can easily becomewekaer and eventually lead to relapse.
3) Increased stress
Everyone faces stress in life, but an addict’s tendency is to avoid coping with stress in a healthy manner, making the substance a method of coping. An addict in recovery has to keep learning new ways to cope with stress or they may find themselves craving for substance when the going gets tough for them.
4) Not following the program
Any proper treatment program will have certain guidelines, activities or techniques for the individual to follow post treatment. This helps in sustaining recovery and preventing relapse or other psychological issues. Not following these guidelines, avoiding follow-ups, procrastinating activities one had decided to do for their recovery; are some of the tell-tale signs that one is derailing from the program and can be a risk factor for relapse.
5) Overconfidence
On similar lines, a person may become overconfident and overestimate their abilities to remain sober. Recovery is not a destination, it’s a process. But one may forget that and see it as an achievement that is done and dusted, that they won’t need any support or need to follow the treatment guidelines. One has to keep their confidence levels in check, not understanding or overconfident, but being a realistic person who is prepared for the ups and downs of sobriety.
6) Complacency
Sometimes, we may develop a laid back attitude and do only the bare minimum that we have to do such as go to work, take showers, eat meals and maybe engage halfheartedly in some or the other activity. Feeling lazy to do one’s activities such as meditation, exercise, attending meetings, introspection, etc. is alright once in a while, but when it becomes frequent one is becoming complacent and taking their recovery for granted. This can make us blind to potential triggers and stressors or a potential relapse situation.
7) Feeling lonely or disconnected from others
Many addict’s suddenly want to be around people, especially those who had become isolated in their addiction. But when that doesn’t happen according to one’s wishes, or if one doesn’t meet with people they can connect to, feelings of loneliness can creep up. Being an addict also adds to this feeling of people not understanding one’s situation. This can make one turn to the last companion they had which was the substance they were consuming.
8) Emotional distress
Having trouble processing emotions is a common problem as an addict tends to suppress their emotions by using substances. Now that that crutch has disappeared, it is difficult to face certain emotions and process them. Buildup of suppressed emotions is a common sign and a risk factor for relapse.
9) Becoming isolated/ Not sharing thoughts and emotions
When one begins to have initial cravings in recovery, there is a lot of frustration and guilt. This can lead to wanting to be alone or stopping to confide one’s thoughts and emotions to a friend, family member, AA/ NA sponsor or their counsellor which is an indicator that danger is near. The way out is to break these patterns and start sharing the thoughts of craving and frustration, no matter how guilty or embarrassed one feels.
10) Jealousy of others who drink or use
In recovery, when a person continues to fuel their past beliefs about substance use and continues to have negative beliefs about sobriety; they can often start feeling envious of people who drink or use drugs socially or occasionally. They compare their lives with them and feel pity for themselves or they may also feel anger, frustration or embarrassment. These kind of thoughts, if not modified soon can become dangerous and lead to a relapse.
11) Criticizing the program
Some people tend to find faults in whatever treatment program they go to, not understanding that the human mind is manipulative enough to reject something good for them completely, based on certain things which they don’t agree with. This also helps them choose their substance again and again by rejecting the program. It is not necessary to agree with all philosophies or treatment approaches of your program. It is enough to take the good bits and apply them to sustain recovery.
These signs are commonly seen in all kinds of addicts. It is important to identify them and always be vigilant to protect yourself from a relapse. At ZorbaWellness rehabilitation center, Relapse prevention is an important part of our program and we aim to make our clients aware of how they can nurture and sustain their recovery efficiently.
Our team of mental health professionals in our rehab in mumbai, usually help a client identify their triggers, risk factors, early warning signs, strategies to manage triggers and cravings as well as coping skills for stress relief. Our rehab in pune focuses specifically on rehab prevention programmes. Relapse is not something to be feared constantly but to be acknowledged as a realistic threat that can be managed if one has the proper resources. Seek support and treatment for alcohol or drug addiction for you or your loved ones and help them live a substance free life. Zorbawellness – destination treatment also can be a good alternative if conventional rehab treatment in india doesn’t suit you.