Chronic Relapse

It takes strength and courage to admit that you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol and decide to enroll in a treatment program for help. The path to recovery is a lengthy and challenging process. As a result, anyone who is able to complete their treatment plans should feel a sense of accomplishment.

Unfortunately, once some people leave the safety of a treatment facility, they find that abstaining from drugs and alcohol in the “real world” is a daunting task. They leave behind all of the progress they have made in treatment and fall back into their addiction. This is known as a relapse.

The team at Alina Lodge understands that relapsing is not a failure and, in fact, relapse is part of the recovery process. Often, those who relapse re-enter a treatment program, which is an admirable decision. 

However, some people continuously enter an addiction treatment facility, complete their program, leave the facility, and relapse over and over again. This cycle is known as chronic relapse. Learn how a chronic relapse treatment center can help on the path to lifelong recovery from addiction.

Why Do People Relapse After Treatment?

Sadly, chronic relapse happens more frequently than some may realize. 

There are many reasons why people suffer from chronic relapse, including:

• Negative or difficult emotions – Stress or anxiety may lead people to go back to old patterns of behavior to cope, such as abusing drugs or alcohol. This can quickly become a continuum of rehab, relapse, and repeat.
• Mental health issues – If people do not keep up with treatment for their mental health disorders each time they leave a treatment facility, the chances for chronic relapse rise dramatically.
• Environmental triggers – If people who have completed treatment visit places from their past that remind them of drug or alcohol abuse, there is a high risk of relapse. If people don’t adjust their environmental triggers, chronic relapse may set in.
• Social triggers – If newly sober people encounter some of the people who share their addictive behavior, it may cause a relapse. Similar to environmental triggers, if social triggers aren’t addressed after each stay in recovery, chronic relapse becomes more likely.
• Lack of coping skills –  When a person does not know how to handle or cope with relapse triggers, it positions them at a greater risk for relapse, creating a downward spiral of chronic relapse.
• Loss of motivation – Each time someone leaves treatment, they may experience a loss of motivation to continue their commitment to recovery. Once motivation is lost, chronic relapse is not far away.

How Can I Avoid Chronic Relapse?

If you have completed your treatment program in a facility, surely you would like to continue in your recovery process and avoid chronic relapse. 

A few methods for avoiding chronic relapse include:

• Analyze what led to the relapse – Learning from past errors often prevents them in the future.
• Believe that the relapse was isolated  – Everyone makes mistakes. If you keep relapsing, train yourself to think that the relapse happened once, and then move on in your recovery.
• Continue with counseling – Professional therapists and counselors are trained to help people who are caught in a chronic relapse cycle. They can be a valuable resource to help you stay away from chronic relapse.

Prevent Chronic Relapse with Help from Alina Lodge

One of the most crucial steps in the recovery process is what happens once you leave a treatment facility. The Alina Lodge team has years of experience equipping people with the tools for long-lasting sobriety. Don’t let chronic relapse derail your recovery.

If you would like more information about how the Alina Lodge team prepares our students for success, contact us right away by either calling 833.685.1700 or completing our confidential online form.