Substance abuse relapse is a common occurrence once the recovery process has started. Several factors can contribute to a relapse, with difficulty adjusting to sobriety a primary factor. The most frequent relapses occur within the first 90 days of beginning a recovery program. Symptoms of post-acute withdrawal can be heightened, often prompting relapses. But once the causes of individual relapse are identified, you can learn skills to prevent continued relapse.
Early Recovery: Refusal to Remove Reminders, Begin Program, Misunderstanding Goal
During initial recovery, the goal is to abstain from substance use. To successfully abstain, the recovering person must get rid of reminders of substance use around the home and begin to develop a support system. Relapse during early recovery can be caused by a disregard of the recovering person from taking steps to remove the reminders, refusal to begin a support program, and misunderstanding the goal of recovery as being a lifestyle change, not just abstinence. Additionally, there are biological factors such as decreased pleasure chemicals (endorphins, serotonin) in the brain due to lack of the substance in the body. The decrease in pleasure chemicals can trigger a physiological depression that often leads to thoughts toward substance use in order to ease the emotional pain that comes from not having the intoxicating chemicals in the body.
Middle Recovery: Inability to Manage Bad Emotions, Relationship Issues
Middle recovery involves learning skills to establish social, emotional and mental balance in daily life. Confidence is slowly built, and repairing damaged relationships commonly happens during this part of recovery. However, some of the damaged relationships are not easily repaired; this leads to emotional turmoil and vulnerability of the recovering person. The primary cause of relapse during this stage of recovery is the inability to manage negative emotions, rejections and relationship stresses. There can be physical cravings, but these are less potent toward causing relapse than the emotional and mental stressors of living a life without substance use.
Later Recovery: Feeling of Invincibility, Surprise About Major Temptations' Effects
During later recovery, there is a mastery of healthy coping skills, a support group is in place, and the focus is maintaining sobriety. However, it's common during this stage of the recovery for a person to begin believing he is unable to relapse or invincible to temptations. When faced with irresistible temptations, the recovering person might be in disbelief and have difficulty coping. Additionally, the recovering person might disregard reaching out to the support system for fear of embarrassment and become isolated from the tools that helped him become sober.
