10 Reasons for Drug and Alcohol Relapse

The following is a list that one of our former residents shared with us as to why drug and alcohol addicts experience relapse:

1. Rebellion: Sometimes residents resent the fact that they need treatment for their drug or alcohol addiction, so they rebel. Rebellion can take many shapes and forms such as not following the rules of the drug and alcohol recovery program. Little do they realize, the only person they are hurting is themselves. In order to recover from a drug and alcohol addiction, residents need to keep an open mind so that they can allow others to help them recover.
2. Illusions of Having Been Cured: One of the most common mistakes that residents make once they are within the confines of a drug and alcohol rehab facility is they think that once they step foot outside those doors at the end of the program, they are cured. What they fail to realize is that drug and alcohol recovery goes far beyond the walls of a drug and alcohol recovery center. Recovering drug and alcohol addicts need to remember that just because they've spent some time experiencing a period of continuous sobriety (I.e. going through a 30-day drug and alcohol recovery program or even a 90-day drug and alcohol recovery program), doesn't necessarily dictate that they will be permanently cured. When someone exits a drug and alcohol rehab facility, all of the same worldly temptations are out there once again, and it is up to the individual to have developed the skills necessary to combat the same behavior that got them into trouble.
3. Carelessness/Complacency: Another reason for drug and alcohol relapse is due to carelessness and/or complacency on the part of the resident. There is a reason that activities, such as the morning prayer, meditation, evening review and inventory, are structured they way they are inside of a drug and alcohol recovery center. Residents need to constantly remind themselves as to why they are at a drug and alcohol recovery center: to successfully recover from their drug and alcohol addiction. Both residents as well as the family/friends of residents need to pay attention to the rules of the drug and alcohol recovery center and comply with them.
4. Guilt: When a resident enters a drug and alcohol recovery center for the first time, they may feel guilt- guilt for having hurt the people they care about with their drug or alcohol addiction or guilt for not seeking help sooner. Additionally, the parents of drug and alcohol addicts often feel a tremendous amount of guilt because, more often than not, parents don't know about the addiction until it is too late and their child is hooked. By working with families through therapy and/or professional counseling, Mark Houston Recovery strives to show both addicts and their families that blaming yourself doesn't change the issue at hand nor does it help to improve it. Addicts also need to learn not to use guilt to manipulate their families. Recovery is hardly an easy process!
5. Self-Forgiveness: At a drug and alcohol recovery center, residents are allowed ample time for reflection. This is the perfect opportunity for residents to reflect on their lives as well as their current situations. Eventually, residents (and their families) need to forgive themselves for their past actions. By providing counseling as well as practicing to develop healthy lifestyle habits, residents will be able to learn from their past mistakes and focus on a brighter future.
6. Prayer & Spiritual Resources: For balanced recovery spirituality is a key element. Mark Houston Recovery understands the nuanced differences and applies that to their effective recovery method. In the end you have a recovery program is not just about being clean, but about understanding who you are and how you got there.
7. Illness: Being addicted to drugs and alcohol can make your body worn down, which can then make it more susceptible to illness. On a similar note, when a drug addict is going through withdrawal, their body may also experience symptoms related to that of being sick. One of the reasons that former drug and alcohol addicts relapse is due to the fact that they know how “good” the drugs and the alcohol used to make them feel. This is why it is so important to surround yourself in a healthy environment where there is as little temptations as possible.
8. Exhaustion: When a person is exhausted, they aren't thinking clearly, which can then lead to poor decision-making. This is why it is so important for recovering drug and alcohol addicts to get plenty of sleep so that they are well rested. On another note, some recovering drug addicts may experience a relapse because, again, they feel as if the drugs or alcohol will give them that extra 'boost' that they so desperately need.
9. Anxiety & Fear: Anxiety and fear are two very natural feelings for a recovering alcohol or drug addict to experience. Typically, these two feelings are borne out of the recovering addict not loving himself or herself enough. There is fear of the unknown: “I'm afraid that I cannot live without drugs”. This is where families and friends need to step in to reassure the recovering addict as well as provide a dependable and healthy support system.
10. Depression: Depression in a recovering drug addict usually indicates suppressed anger, which indicates unfinished inventory and amends. If not addressed, depression can quickly lead to a downward spiral back into drug and alcohol addiction.

At Mark Houston Recovery, we don't promise any miracle cures; however, we will offer you an alternative recovery that will not make you feel like you've failed. We are committed to providing you with an opportunity to take on recovery in a whole new way that ultimately helps the way you think and the way you live with sobriety.