During the process of recovery, most addicts will relapse from time to time. It can be difficult to accept, but relapse is a part of recovery and can help teach you how to prevent future relapses.
Relapses can be caused by a variety of factors, including triggers, denial, and fear. The best way to stay on track is to recognize when a relapse occurs and take action.
1. Triggers
A relapse is a very real and serious possibility for someone in recovery. It can happen after a few months or even years in active recovery, and it can come at any time.
It is important to recognize the triggers of your relapse addiction cycle and find a way to manage them. This will help you stay on track and continue your recovery journey.
Triggers can be both internal and external, and they can be associated with your relationships, emotions, thoughts, habits, physical illness, stress, and sleep patterns.
Many of these can be avoided or controlled with the help of a therapist or counselor.
One of the most common triggers for relapse is stress, especially if you have been suffering from depression and anxiety. These are feelings that you have to learn to control, and they can easily lead you back to addictive behaviors.
2. Isolation
The isolation that occurs during the relapse addiction cycle is one of the most common and devastating roadblocks to successful recovery. It is essential to understand why this happens and how you can prevent it from happening in your own life or the lives of your loved ones.
Isolation can be a result of the chemical changes in the brain that occur as a result of addiction. It can also be a result of the depression and feelings of shame that are often associated with addiction.
As a result, it is crucial to seek help and support from people who have been through similar situations. This can be found through mutual support groups and therapy sessions.
It is also important to disconnect from unhealthy relationships. This can be a difficult process but it is important for your overall health and sobriety.
3. Denial
Denial is a defense mechanism used by the ego to avoid dealing with unpleasant feelings or aspects of our life we don't want to admit. It can help us deal with the immediate stress of a situation, but it can also lead to emotional and mental health problems over time.
Many people with addictions and mental health conditions, such as narcissistic personality disorder, use denial more frequently than others to avoid facing the reality of their problems. They may deny that they have an addiction, for example, or that they are causing harm to themselves or their loved ones.
Denial can cause people to reengage in bad behaviors or continue in a bad relationship, even after they know better. It can be very difficult to break out of a cycle of denial, so it's important to seek support and get therapy when you need it.
4. Fear
Fear is a powerful and primitive response to danger that can be triggered by physical or psychological threats. This instinctual fight-or-flight response is a vital part of human survival.
It triggers a series of physiological responses that can include an increased heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, blood pooling and sweating. It also causes a person to feel a sense of fear that can last for hours or days after the initial threat.
The problem is that these feelings can become chronic and hard to deal with. They can lead to anxiety and a lack of sleep.
A major issue that often accompanies fear is that a person starts to see themselves as a failure. This can lead to feeling shame, guilt and depression.
