There are many reasons why someone may relapse when in drug addiction recovery. While these reasons do of course vary from person-to-person, there are some common factors which often lead to willpower weakening and relapse occurring.
Below we have listed five of the top causes of drug addiction relapse.
Stress
Stress has been found to be a high risk factor when it comes to the likelihood of relapsing while battling addiction. This is because it leads to an increase in the brain’s levels of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) – this triggers a cascade of biological responses which may impair our ability to cope with difficult life events.
Stress is thought to have such a negative impact on our well-being that research carried out by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has found that people who are exposed to it, are more likely to use mind-altering substances and relapse even after long periods of abstinence.
Not changing your habits
Most addiction specialists will agree that avoiding your triggers is half the battle if you want to stay clean. If you carry on going to places where you know people are using for example or hanging around with the people who got you into drugs in the first place, chances are that you will never recover.
Battling addiction is very difficult and surrounding yourself with temptations will weaken your willpower more and more over time. When you’re having a tough day, you quite simply may not be able to resist using.
Not identifying the underlying cause of your addiction
Successful recovery is dependent on a number of factors and identifying the underlying cause of your addiction is one of them.
Many people develop addictions because of traumatic life events and / or poor mental health. Unfortunately, as long as any issues remain suppressed and unresolved, your risk of relapse will be high.
Say for example you take drugs to help cope with the bereavement of a loved one. If you don’t deal with the pain you’re suffering because of the loss, chances are that you will never be able to stop using.
If you seek help for drug addiction, your counsellor will be able to help you identify any underlying causes as well as teach you how to cope with your feelings and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Over-confidence
If you’re on the road to recovery, you have every reason to be proud of yourself and while this should be celebrated, don’t become over-confident.
The longer you’re clean, the stronger you will feel and you may think that as a result, you will be ok falling back into old habits. No matter how long you’ve been in recovery, never be tempted to engage in any of the following:
- Hang around with drug users
- Go back to places where you used to take drugs
- Think you will be able to use once and then walk away
- Stop therapy sessions or group meetings
Social isolation
The support you receive from others is imperative to your recovery. Being reluctant to talk to loved ones, see a counsellor or join a support group can lead to social isolation and loneliness. The more you become isolated, the easier it is to feel you have nothing to stay clean for and you will end up rationalising drug use to yourself.
If you think that you or someone you know could benefit from drug addiction therapy in Toronto, please feel free to contact us in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help. Alternatively, you can also visit our Drugs and Alcohol Addiction page for further information.
