One of the many problems people face in addiction treatment today is relapse, and the idea that relapse is a part of recovery. But what we need to understand and believe is that relapse is not a part of recovery. It’s just a dangerous slogan that is based on myth, and it only gives people permission to relapse because they think that when they do, they are on the road to recovery. Relapse is a return to dependency. Sobriety is part of recovery. And staying sober is easy once you have been successful in healing the underlying conditions that were responsible for your drug addiction in the first place.
When you consider having just one drink or taking just one hit, ask yourself this question: will I really stop after just one?
Many of us have a story about relapse either from personal experience or from the experiences of our friends. When I ponder this question thoughtfully, I know that the answer for me is that I will not stop at just one. And ultimately, our body gets better and better at counteracting the disruptive effects of a drug, i.e. we develop a tolerance. The problem is, we don’t typically say at that point, “Well, the drug isn’t doing much for me anymore, so I guess I’ll stop.” Instead, we take increasingly larger or more frequent doses to produce the same relief from our underlying problems.
And think about what it’s taken for many of us to truly admit that we have a drug addiction, from losing the wife and kids to being homeless, or even stealing from the people closest to us to fund drinking or drug use.
Remember that relapse is not a part of recovery, and that many people who relapse don’t make it back to a life of freedom from drug addiction. If you find yourself once again with a drink in hand having promised yourself that you would never do this again, then there could still be underlying issues in your life that need to be discovered and healed. Whether that takes place in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous or in a period of intense therapy at a drug rehab center like Lakeview Health Systems in Jacksonville Florida, a better and more fulfilling life is possible.
