Drug and alcohol abuse can affect every aspect of a person’s life. People who live with drug abuse or addiction need comprehensive treatment and ongoing support to address the roots of their addictive behaviors.
Even after receiving comprehensive treatment, many people in addiction recovery experience a lapse or relapse. This article will explore what a lapse and relapse are and how to recognize them. You will learn:
- The signs of a lapse
- What happens before, during, and after a relapse
- The differences between a lapse and relapse
- The risk factors for relapse
- Where to find recovery support
If you or someone you love is in recovery from addiction and needs support, you are not alone. Find supportive sober living and relapse prevention programs at Patrick’s Purpose Sober Living. Contact our intake specialists to learn more about our programs or to schedule an intake.
What is a Lapse?
Addiction is a complex condition that impacts a person’s mind, body, spirit, relationships, and daily functioning. Recovering from addiction is possible with the proper support. However, many people experience setbacks and challenges throughout their recovery journey.
Research shows that up to 60% of people in addiction recovery will experience at least one lapse or relapse after completing a treatment program. But what is a lapse?
A lapse (sometimes called a “slip”) occurs when someone in recovery uses drugs or alcohol for a very short period before stopping again. A lapse is typically limited and unlikely to lead to addiction again.
In most cases, people who experience a lapse return to their healthy coping behaviors. They do not continue to use drugs or alcohol afterward. A lapse may feel like a setback but does not typically jeopardize a person’s recovery journey.
What is a Relapse?
Addiction and medical experts define relapse as a complete return to substance use after a period of abstinence. During a relapse, people lose the progress they’ve made in recovery up to that point. They lose control of their substance use and may develop physical dependence again.
A relapse may seem like a more significant challenge during recovery. People may require more support, including additional treatment programs, to regain control after a relapse.
Lapse vs. Relapse: Understanding the Differences
Generally, a relapse is more severe than a lapse. A lapse may involve just one occasion of substance use–sometimes, a single sip of alcohol or a small amount of a drug. People typically regain control over their substance use quickly and get back on track in recovery.
A relapse involves a total loss of control over your substance use. People may fall into substance use patterns similar to before they went to treatment. They may develop physical dependence and face other serious complications related to substance use.
Lapses and relapses can both be signs that someone in recovery needs more support. Reach out to the team at Patrick’s Purpose to learn about our supportive recovery and sober living programs.
Recognizing the Stages of a Relapse
Relapses rarely happen out of the blue. In most cases, relapses occur in stages. Recognizing these stages can help you seek the support you need to stop a relapse in its tracks.
Here is a quick overview of the stages of relapse.
Emotional relapse
An emotional relapse typically involves experiencing uncomfortable emotions or other challenges. People may experience boredom, anger, sadness, anxiety, and other distressing emotions and lack the coping skills to manage them.
Signs of an emotional relapse include:
- Giving up on self-care (eating poorly, isolating, not sleeping well)
- Skipping meetings or appointments
- Feeling overwhelmed by challenges or stressors
- Having uncomfortable feelings
Recognizing these early warning signs can prevent it from turning into a relapse involving substance abuse.
Mental relapse
A mental relapse involves thinking about using drugs or alcohol. People may:
- Feel nostalgic for the days when they abused drugs or alcohol
- Think about how, when, and where they’d drink or use drugs again
- Justify their ability to use drugs or drink again (“I quit before, and I could do it again,” or “I deserve to drink because I’m on vacation,” etc.)
- Forget about the harm substance abuse has caused
People must identify these thoughts as problematic and use relapse prevention strategies to avoid a physical relapse.
Physical relapse
A physical relapse includes substance use and all activities that led up to it, such as driving to the liquor store or calling a dealer.
A relapse isn’t the end of the road to recovery. However, a full-blown relapse can feel like a serious setback in addiction recovery.
Contact the Patrick’s Purpose specialists to learn more about identifying and preventing relapse. You can also learn more about finding alcohol or drug addiction treatment programs and other forms of support.
Find Recovery Support Now
If you or someone you love needs support in recovery, you are not alone. Find supportive sober living services at Patrick’s Purpose. Contact our intake team to learn more about our programs or to schedule an intake appointment.
References:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Treatment and Recovery
- National Institute of Health (NIH): Addiction Relapse Prevention