Relapse is a process that centers around our resilience on how we deal with the circumstances in which we are placed. It tests us on how we handle the obstacles that are thrown at us and how do we overcome them and bring ourselves back together to take on life.
Relapse is nothing but just another obstacle that is on your path. It is a severe test of your character. How you come out of it determines your personality and how you will take on life in the future.
If you have just recently relapsed, then you must first get rid of all the feelings of shame and guilt. To understand better, one must get rid of all the wrong notions and be open to new ideas. More than anything, it is essential to focus on what you can learn from the experience. As life is – there is always something to learn, even from bad experiences.
Let us now look get a proper understanding of relapse and see why it’s not a failure.
Relapse is Not a Failure
It is deep-rooted in our brain that any recovery from addiction has some stigma associated with it. To learn something from your relapsed period, you must first come to the acceptance that there is nothing shameful associated with it.
Addiction causes severe effects on how our brain functions. It is very much in the lines of a chronic disease like diabetes, arthritis, and obesity.
So, similarly, how we do not look down upon cancer patients in need for another round of chemotherapy, we must not perceive relapse as something that one must be ashamed of.
We must understand that relapse is not a failure. It is just an obstacle on the path to recovery. And if you see it right, it can also be the most excellent teacher in your life.
So, let us see what one can learn from their relapse experience.
Relapse: A Profound Learning Experience
Getting back to drugs during recovery, even briefly, can be a demotivating and heart-shattering experience. One can also be pushed to limits where he/she accepts that there is no turning back from here.
However, you must not lose hope and see this relapse phase as a profound learning opportunity to put yourself back together and come back with high strength and confidence.
We should see relapse as just another negative situation that demands, more than anything, a correct outlook.
Identify your triggers
Quite often, relapse can offer you a chance to introspect and learn something about yourself. You can examine yourself and understand what the driving force of your addiction is. You might discover that the relapse is nothing but a strong response to feelings that stem from a terrifying break-up. Like this, you can navigate your inner self and explore better ways to handle yourself and improve your coping mechanisms.
This will help you improve immensely in making better decisions and progress smoothly in life.
Relapse can motivate you
A long spell of addiction can be a harrowing experience. You can easily forget how difficult life can be during alcohol or drugs-abuse experience once you attain a brief period of sobriety.
One of the main reasons why people fall back to addiction is that they do not understand the real value of a sober life. Relapse can be a great reminder of what is at stake. It can only boost your motivation for a sober life and help you understand the true value of good health.
Relapse does not mean your progress is lost
A lot of people give up quickly because they feel that all their development has gone to vain. However, it is not the case. You can use the previous failure and learn what you did wrong. This way, you can have a successive spell of sobriety. This way, you can continuously try and push yourself to live a better life. This kind of dedication conditions you with a strong sense of confidence and motivation, helping you deal with life as it comes.
Turning negativity into positivity
Recovery is a long and hard road. It demands a lot of effort from your end and expands far beyond the limits of your therapy sessions. It is essential to understand that relapse is not the end of the road. If you have the will, then you are still on your journey to recovery.
On the contrary, you must look at relapse as a learning experience helping you become more focused. It will only help you become more aware of your weaknesses and understand how they are interconnected with your addiction.
So, you must understand that relapse doesn’t stop your recovery process and reset your progress altogether. It is very much like a pause in your growth, giving you in-depth insights about yourself. You must take this as an opportunity to strengthen yourselves and develop a much stronger resolution.