Reasons Why Some People Relapse Back into Addiction

March 12,2013

It often comes off as easier and more pleasurable to relapse back into drug abuse. Relapse prevention techniques at a rehab center helps individuals manage their wants and cravings...

Reasons Why Some People Relapse Back into Addiction

Making the choice to stop drug abuse and get help for a serious addiction is a big step to take”for any person. It takes will power, desire and possibly a fleeting moment of clear thinking. The process of rehabilitation can be a long road; from detoxification treatment to rehabilitation, all the way to after care support, and finally moving onto a sober life style. Somewhere in the mix of these trials and tribulations, the original goal and desire gets lost in translation. The rate of relapse in recovering addicts ranges from 50% to 90%, depending on how long it has been since they have left rehabilitation.

What is it that drives the statistic so high? There are numerous answers for the numerous individual cases of addiction. The first and foremost reason is that clients leave rehab too early without completing the program. Cravings are very powerful for recovering addicts, both mentally and physically; and a combination of the two symptoms can have the greatest impact on an individual. Certain drugs have longer lasting cravings. Heroin for example, is a drug infamous for having the quickest rate of addiction. Adversely, cravings for heroin can last months and even years after quitting and during initial rehabilitation”the intense cravings can prove too much for a person's will power. It often comes off as easier and more pleasurable to relapse back into drug abuse. This can prove true for any type of drug, depending on individual scenarios of will power, drive, and prior abuse. Relapse prevention techniques at a rehab center helps individuals manage their wants and cravings.

The next leading cause of relapse in recovering addicts has to do with depression. Depression is a major component of drug addiction. During the time of abuse, individuals are often depressed about situations in life that they may or may not have control over. During rehabilitation, it is common for individuals to feel depressed due to withdrawal from drugs; or because they realize their own actions and behaviors, where they may have caused pain to loved ones such as friends or family members. After rehabilitation, it is often the case that recovering addicts still struggle with depression. Changing a lifestyle away from drug abuse is a slow and steady process. Depression is a component of the process which does not easily go away and requires a lot of work and support in order to banish. After rehab, feeling depressed while picking up the pieces of life and putting them back together in a working order can prove to be overwhelming for some, and the allure of using a drug to take the edge off can be very seductive.

Another very powerful factor in relapse after rehabilitation is the situation and environment that people enter after leaving treatment. It is often recommended that individuals struggling with long-term chronic abuse take advantage of a long-lasting residential rehabilitation program in which they stay on campus for the duration of treatment. This is because the environment from which drug addicts come from when entering rehab are often ones that include situations, opportunities, and people that condone or allow for drug abuse. Once people leave a rehabilitation center after care support such as public meetings are designed to provide ongoing guidance for remaining sober. However, the majority of people return to their homes, friends, and habits that may have brought them to the depths of addiction for which they sought treatment. With these types of influences at hand, it can be extremely difficult to stay on the path of sobriety, especially when friends who use drugs remain in the picture.

There are many other reasons for relapsing back into substance addiction. These reasons are often as variable as the people themselves. The best way to avoid relapse is to keep both eyes on the end-goal, and the desire to remain sober in mind. So, here's the bottom line folks: By taking advantage of support groups, guidance, and positive reinforcements as much as possible, it can ultimately help lower the rate of relapse.

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Reach out to us. At Florida Center for Recovery, our licensed therapists and certified counselors are dedicated to help you or your loved one recover from drug or alcohol addiction. Our premier substance abuse treatment center provides unique programs to help patients recognize the origin of the problem that caused them to self-medicate. Learning how to deal with these problems results in facing situations, instead of avoiding them; this also reduces the chances of relapsing. For more information on receiving drug or alcohol addiction treatment, you may contact us for free consultation at:

Florida Center for Recovery “ Addiction Treatment Center: 1-800-960-5041

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Florida Center for Recovery

800-960-5041

MARK KILLAR

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