Recovering Drug Addicts And Relapses}

Submitted by: Peerson McGinty

Relapse is the biggest threat to a recovering drug addict’s long-term sobriety. Because addiction permanently and physically alters a person’s brain chemistry, it is only treatable – not curable, and the threat of relapse is ever-present. Many addicts and observers alike unfortunately view it as a simple sign of weakness. In truth, it is a complex and frustrating issue. A better understanding of the nature and causes of relapse will help addicts to avoid it. This understanding may also aid society in coping with its effects and assisting its sufferers.

As with most clinical diseases, relapses to drug addiction are likely. However, their occurrence still causes confusion and worry for addicts and their families. Just as a cancer patient may not understand why he or she develops a new tumor or cyst, drug addicts often fail to recognize the underlying causes of their post-treatment substance abuse. Relapses are highly individual, and the exact causes depend on the user; not the drug.

In some cases, a recovering addict will only “slip,” breaking sobriety in an isolated incident but quickly returning to a drug-free life. When this happens, an outpatient treatment program is often sufficient in keeping the patient on the right track. Addicts will still receive proven, evidence-based and reality-based therapies during the day, but they will be allowed to return home at night. If a patient seems particularly likely to slip again, the facility may send a clean-living supervisor along as part of a day and night program.

At other times, addicts experience long relapses in which they return to substance abuse for months or even years. These are sometimes the result of a traumatic event in an addict’s life, but they can also result from simply visiting a compromising environment or meeting an old drug-using friend. Relapses of this length typically require detoxification and a thirty to ninety-day stay at an inpatient facility. Even if the addict has already undergone this type of intensive treatment, such a long return to substance abuse necessitates the relearning of positive thought patterns and coping strategies.

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, or PAWS, is often to blame for a relapse. Occurring immediately after detoxification, PAWS symptoms include mental fogginess, cravings, sadness, loss of motor skills, and memory problems. These crippling symptoms cause many sufferers to self-medicate, thus continuing the cycle of addiction. Though patient denial makes it difficult to understand every case of PAWS, researchers have found that over three-fourths of all recovering addicts suffer from it.

In the end, a relapse is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, medical professionals often see it as a part of the learning process, a necessary step in developing effective strategies for coping with addiction. If you or someone you know has experienced a relapse, call the number at the top of your screen for a toll-free consultation. Whether you slipped once or have been struggling for years, there are proven, effective programs to get your life back on track.

About the Author: Peerson McGinty started writing after retiring from the US Navy in the early 90’s. As the internet became more popular, he started writing for the web and now his entire family eanrs a living writing ebooks, articles, web content, copy, and performing editing services. Peerson offers a guarantee on all writing services, which is extremely rare in the industry. Click here for more information about

recoveryfirst.org

. If you’re suffering from alcoholism, click here for a free consultation with an expert from our

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