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What Happens if Your Loved One Relapses

A Relapse During Recovery is Not a Failure

One of the realities of addiction recovery is that relapse can occur. In fact, relapse can happen at any point in recovery, even when the person seems to be doing well while working their program.

Relapse does not equate to failure, and it does not mean that everything you’ve worked towards is erased. A relapse may just require your loved one to get back on track with their goals. 

If a loved one has relapsed, this means that more treatment is needed. The sooner you can get them into an outpatient drug rehab program, the better. Below are the tips to follow if your loved one has a relapse. 

Don’t panic 

A relapse is not the time to feel angry or hopeless, even though you may want to. This is a time to get your loved one back on track. They have not lost what they learned in treatment – they simply need to hit the reset button on how many days they have been sober. So, avoid overreacting or saying things you’ll later regret. Gather your thoughts and decide how you will support your loved one

Hold your loved one accountable 

Just as you had to be firm when your loved one started treatment, you need to be firm now. Your loved one has to be held accountable for their actions. However, there are plenty of positive ways that you can support them, such as by redirecting them to their treatment plan, staying positive and keeping drugs and alcohol out of the home.  

Review treatment options 

Help your loved one with their recovery goals by getting them back into the healthy habits that kept them sober. For many people, this includes 12-step meetings, support groups, counseling, and good self-care. If more intensive care is required, consider an outpatient rehab in Agoura that offers counseling and holistic healing practices. 

Assess what went wrong 

It can be helpful to understand what went wrong and why the relapse occurred. Are there certain triggers that are compromising your loved one’s recovery? Have they been following their recovery program? Are they active in their 12-step groups? Relapse is a process and not something that just happens. Therefore, it’s likely that you can look back and see what led to the slipup. 

Realize you can’t make decisions for someone

No matter how much you love your family member, you can’t make their decisions for them. Your loved one must come to terms with the relapse and their need for additional addiction treatment in Agoura. Continue taking care of yourself by getting enough rest, eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly and seeking support. 

Seek help for relapse today 

A relapse can be a scary experience, but it does not mean that your loved one is starting back from square one. As long as your loved one gets help right away, they can continue with a successful recovery. And, by making positive changes, you can avoid the risk for relapse in the future. 

Contact us today to begin an outpatient rehab program at Awakenings Treatment Center. Located in beautiful Agoura Hills, California works with people in all stages of recovery and offer science-based recovery solutions and holistic healing practices.