Perhaps you’ve had a history of abusing drugs or alcohol, yet you’ve been trying to quit. You may have even done well in pursuing your recovery, and then it happened: you went on a drinking or drug binge. You may think you’re at a crossroads or worry that you’re going back to the drawing board. But depending on whether you had a lapse vs relapse, what should you do next?
Lapse vs Relapse: What’s the Difference?
If you’re trying to break free from substance abuse or addiction, know that it’s never exactly straightforward. Sometimes setbacks happen and hurdles need to be overcome. After all, achieving long-term sobriety isn’t a quick fix (and it can be a difficult road at times).
At Sana at Stowe, we understand that recovery is a lifelong process. And part of the at process unexpectedly includes relapse. In fact, relapse can be a common outcome. According to The Guardian, about 40 to 60% of people with an addiction will experience a relapse at some point in their lives. If relapse occurs, we’re here to help you learn from the experience and take the necessary steps to get back on track with your recovery goals.
So when you drink or take drugs again along your recovery journey, you’re probably saying to yourself, “What just happened?” In the context of a lapse vs relapse, let’s take a look at the key differences:
Identifying a Lapse
Looking at lapse vs relapse, a lapse in the recovery process happens when you use a substance again. However, upon using drugs or alcohol, for example, you soon realize what you’ve done and stop. You don’t continue to go back to your addictive patterns. A lapse happens when you succumb to your addiction triggers in the moment. Yet you quickly resume your sobriety practices afterwards.
When a lapse happens, it doesn’t mean you need to quit your recovery efforts and start over. It’s a slip up and an unfortunate setback. At the same time, a lapse should be your wakeup call that you need to refocus on your sobriety before things get worse.
The Relapse Definition
What is relapsing, on the other hand? If you keep having lapse after lapse of substance use, you’re quickly spiraling toward relapse. According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, a relapse happens when you stop maintaining your goal of avoiding your substance and return to your previous levels of use as a result.
You may have resumed your drinking after a period of abstinence. Maybe you’ve taken up another drug habit and developed a transfer addiction in the process. With a relapse, your recovery goals no longer matter, and you revert back to your lifestyle of addiction.
A relapse doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. Rather, it occurs in stages. According to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, relapse can begin weeks and sometimes months before you pick up a drug or a drink. The stages of relapse include:
- Emotional relapse: In this stage, your behaviors and emotions are putting you on track towards potential future substance use. You may be isolating yourself, struggling with anxiety, or no longer prioritizing self-care practices.
- Mental relapse: As you progress, you start thinking about using a substance, struggling with euphoric recall, craving substances, and wishing to reconnect with the people or places associated with your addiction.
- Physical relapse: At this point, you are physically using your substance again on a regular basis.
Lapse vs Relapse: Noticing the Warning Signs
As you’re reading this, you may be wondering whether you’ve had a relapse vs lapse. Are the things you’re doing right now cause for concern or not? Here are some common relapse warning signs to look out for as you reflect upon your recovery efforts:
- Isolating from friends and family
- Concealing feelings
- Skipping addiction support group meetings
- Attending meetings but not participating
- Focusing on other people’s problems
- Expressing resentment about others
- Taking less care of personal hygiene or appearance
- Developing poor eating and sleeping habits
- Posting explicitly or implicitly about substance abuse on social media
- Sharing rants or appearing impulsive online
- Craving substances
- Recalling or becoming reacquainted with people, places and things associated with past use
- Underrating the effects of past use or romanticizing past use (euphoric recall)
- Engaging in internal bargaining
- Lying to others, even about miniscule things
- Getting defensive frequently
- Concocting plans to use substances in a controlled manner
- Seeking out opportunities to use
SOURCE: Syracuse University
I Relapsed. Why?
If you indeed relapsed, you’re likely wondering how you got to this point. The truth is that relapse can occur for various reasons. According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, common causes of relapse may include:
- Circumstances or places that tempt you to use
- Difficult feelings or situations that trigger substances as a coping mechanism
- Pre-existing mental or emotional issues
- Pre-existing physical health issues like chronic pain
- Self-blame and feelings of guilt after experiencing a lapse
But for some of you reading this, your relapse may not be all that surprising. Your relapse could be the latest in a history of them, leaving you wondering why. If that’s the case, like the initial cause of your first relapse, several factors could be responsible for your repeated relapses.
Your relapse may be the result of not having peer support in recovery. Perhaps you have co-occurring disorders such as bipolar disorder or depression that have yet to be addressed. For some, everyday stress can continue to drive them to seek out substances as a way to cope, leading to continued relapses.
What To Do After a Relapse
“I relapsed. What now?,” is a common response once the reality of your situation hits you. It may be tempting to despair and forgo your recovery efforts. Maybe you fear that you’ll just end up relapsing again if you try to make changes. However, a relapse doesn’t mean your sobriety days are over. So where do you go from here?
When a relapse happens, your next steps are very important in returning to your recovery journey. With that said, here’s what to do after a relapse:
- Think through what happened: Now’s the time for self-reflection. Revisit the circumstances and choices that led you to relapse. This practice can help you avoid the same mistakes in the future.
- Seek support: It may be tempting to isolate yourself out of shame due to your relapse, but you need support from others now more than ever. Share about your relapse with caring loved ones or your support group, and continue attending meetings.
- Revise your relapse prevention plan: Do you have one? If not, it’s important to create a relapse prevention plan to keep relapse at bay in the future. And if you previously created one, let what you’ve learned about your recent relapse help revise your plan to make healthy changes.
- Pursue compassion and self-care: Extend yourself grace and compassion, understanding relapse can happen to anyone. Show yourself forgiveness in recovery after your relapse. Doing so allows you to move forward. At the same time, resume your self-care practices so you can be in a healthier state to continue your recovery.
Getting Professional Help After a Lapse vs Relapse
Whether you’ve had a lapse vs relapse, the experience should drive you to make healthy changes in your recovery. While the above actions are important, it’s best that you revisit an addiction treatment program for help. Professional treatment centers know that relapses often occur, and their staff can partner with you to evaluate your relapse vs lapse and make adjustments to your recovery plan.
And if you’ve never had professional treatment up to this point, this is your chance to finally get the help and healing you need. You may have untreated co-occurring disorders or past types of trauma causing your struggles, after all. Dual diagnosis treatment centers can help you address both issues simultaneously.
At Sana at Stowe in Stowe, Vermont, our addiction treatment programs are here for you at every stage of your recovery journey—including relapse. Whether you’re revisiting treatment after relapse or just getting started, our goal is to help you heal from addiction, reclaim your inherent worth, and recover your awareness. By doing so, you can achieve lasting recovery in your mind, body, and spirit. Call us now to get the support you need.
