Between seventy to ninety percent of people who attend an alcohol or drug rehabilitation center or program will relapse or slip-up at some point during their recovery. Though both slip-ups and relapses should be avoided, a relapse is much more serious with longer term consequences than a slip-up. Whether a person has drinks for one night at a party or is in relapse for several months or years, the only way to get back on the path to sobriety is to confront the mistake, be honest and open about it, and cease drinking all alcohol and taking any drugs immediately. Someone who is in a recovery program at the time of slip-up, should go to the first available meeting or call their sponsor right away.
Why it Happens
There are many reasons a person may slip-up for a night or a few days. Slip-ups are unintentional and can happen for a variety of reasons, such as when a person gets carried away in a certain atmosphere and is unprepared to control themselves. Relapses require a premeditated decision to stop treatment and the path to recovery. A person consumes their drug of choice and continues for an extended period of time. Sometimes slip-ups can turn into full-blown relapses. The first time a person messes up is a genuine mistake, but the feelings of guilt and worthlessness that accompany the episode can be strong enough to convince them to continue their self-destructive behavior and they soon spiral into full-blown relapse. Relapses should be avoided at all costs, because the longer a person goes without treatment, the harder it is to get back on the path to recovery.
Make the Most of Your Slip-up
Fortunately, there is truth in the old adage “You learn from your mistakes”. A slip-up can be an eye-opening experience. A person can get back on track, and have a stronger recovery because they know how unexpected temptation looks and can better prepare themselves to handle testy situations. For people returning to a program of recovery after a full-blown relapse, becoming clean again can help a person’s resolve to stay sober. Because it is harder to recover after a lengthy relapse, overcoming the odds can strengthen a person’s determination to stay sober and celebrate the fullness of life that accompanies clean living. They will also be reminded of the depths of their addiction, which may aid in the decision to say no to drugs under all circumstances.
Getting Back Up
The feelings a person experiences when slipping-up or relapsing are very strong and make it all the harder to rid one’s life of alcohol, but the important thing to remember is that they are just feelings and should not dominate your decision making. Telling yourself that you’re a failure because you drank for a few nights will not help yourself at all. This sort of negative thinking will lead to false rationalization, such as the idea that you might as well continue drinking because you ruined all efforts to stay sober. A slip-up does not have to turn into anything more. Be honest about what happened, and tell other people about it. Hiding the truth of the events will make you ashamed of you secret, while owning up to them will help normalize the episode so that it is an unfortunate reality, but something that does not have to determine the rest of your future. Recovery is possible, and like many good things it isn’t easy to attain and must be fought for in earnest. Believing in yourself and thinking positively about the future will go miles towards helping you attain a sober lifestyle.
About Author:
About Author:
Henry Hernandez is a pastor who lives on a ranch in Texas with his family. Henry is also a counselor for www.stephouserecovery.com You can learn more about Henry by checking out his Google+ Page.
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