Welcome back! In our last blog post, we discussed relapse prevention – the stages of relapsing, triggers, and prevention tips. Today we’re looking a step further at what to do in the event you have relapsed. If you have broken your sobriety, you may experience feelings of guilt, sadness, shame, or uncertainty about how to proceed. Know that relapses can happen, and what matters is how you respond to them. Here are 9 key ways to return to recovery after a relapse: 

Post-relapse recovery tips

Return to treatment immediately 

The first and most important way to respond is to admit that you relapsed and get back into treatment. Prompt action is crucial to your long-term health and overall recovery process. Return to, or join, a 12-step meeting. They are safe spaces to share your experience authentically, learn and understand addiction and its nuances, and gain support and guidance from peers who know the struggles as deeply as you. If you’re looking for a 12-step meeting for women, Avalon’s are listed here and run every day. 

Pinpoint the reasons for the relapse 

Think back on what led to your relapse. Were you experiencing adverse life events? Were you exposed to triggering environments or people? Were you isolated and lacking social support? Through this reflection period, you can try to pinpoint the reasons for your relapse. This will help you in the future if you feel the same temptations or face similar situations. If you’re having trouble thinking things through on your own, try sharing your experience with a friend, family member, counsellor, or addiction coach – or write it out in a journal. 

Avoid triggers and set healthy boundaries 

Once you’ve identified the reasons you experienced a relapse, you have a better understanding of your personal triggers. In order to prevent a future relapse from happening, exercise greater caution about exposing yourself to people, environments, or things that you know will elicit an urge for you to use. Create healthy boundaries for yourself so that you avoid temptation altogether. This can mean removing yourself from toxic or abusive relationships, declining offers to certain events or situations, and having some answers prepared for when someone offers you the substance or asks why you won’t participate with them. 

Reach out to loved ones for help  

It may be scary to admit to friends and family that you’ve relapsed. Trust that they will love and support you through the difficult times. Having a strong social support network is key to maintaining and thriving in your sobriety. It’s important to be reminded that you’re not alone, that you have people to turn to for help, and in the case of sober friends or peers, that others have been where you are and made it out the other side. This may also include mending relationships that were affected by your relapse or the time leading up to it. 

Engage in self-care 

Self-care is a crucial but often overlooked part of recovery and relapse prevention. Having activities, experiences, or people in your life that bring you joy, comfort, safety, and support can keep you going when times get hard and challenging emotions are brought to the surface. If you feel happy and whole in your life, those urges to use will become more manageable. Taking care of yourself can look like: eating a nutritious and balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and engaging in activities or hobbies that help your mood and energy. 

Develop tools/coping mechanisms to overcome emotional situations 

Some of the most common relapse triggers are stress, anxiety, and negative difficult emotions. If you think any of these contributed to your relapse, consider adjusting your tools and coping mechanisms for overcoming emotional situations. It’s possible your old techniques are no longer working, and it’s normal to try out a few before finding the most effective practices for you. Some examples of coping skills are mindfulness or meditation, grounding techniques, spending time outside, listening to music, having deliberate alone time, or cuddling with a pet.

Adjust your relapse prevention plan 

When you have a better understanding of your triggers and positive coping mechanisms, revise your relapse prevention plan to incorporate this new knowledge. Think about the people, environments, or experiences that are no longer safe for you to be around. Write down a list of people and resources that you know you can call on if need be. Commit yourself to attending 12-step meetings, talking to a sponsor and seeing a counsellor or therapist on a regular basis. Have some standard answers prepared for when you have to say no to an invite or an offer to use. Write a letter to yourself to read when you feel your commitment to your sobriety is waning again. This plan and toolbox are what you will lean on to prevent future relapses, so make it as comprehensive and effective as you can, and share it with others if you need accountability.

Try not to get trapped in a relapse cycle 

Sometimes people in recovery find themselves caught in a cyclical pattern of relapsing and rehabilitating, which is also known as “revolving door syndrome”. Most often, this happens because the individual is not completely and consistently committed to their sobriety, making them susceptible to temptation or triggers. This is different than experiencing multiple relapses in recovery – it’s a predictable ongoing pattern that can damage your relationships with others and your physical and mental health, as well as interfere with the development of healthy habits, lifestyle practices, and coping mechanisms that are necessary for long-term healing and recovery.

Learn from the experience 

Relapses are not a sign of failure. They are a part of many people’s recovery journey and serve as an important opportunity to re-evaluate your relationship with your sobriety and reflect on the positive changes it brought into your life. Use the experience to bounce back with a stronger commitment to your sobriety, and a renewed sense of clarity and focus. Relapsing is a learning experience – if you let it be. And progress is not necessarily defined as the number of days you’ve been sober – it can also be the number of times you’ve gotten back up, asked for help, and showed up for yourself and your loved ones. 

Regardless of where you are in your recovery journey, Avalon is here to support you.  Peer support is a key part of preventing a relapse, so join a community of like-minded women who have been where you have been. Not sure where to start? Join a meeting or contact your closest Avalon Women’s Centre where one of our caring Centre Managers will help guide you.