Developing addiction to alcohol or drugs is much easier as compared to attaining sobriety. For a regular user of illegal substances, leading an addiction-free life requires a strong willpower, dedication and patience. While a few people attain sobriety easily, many others cannot come out of the clutches of addiction despite fighting a tough and a long battle with it.
During the recovery process, one of the biggest fears a patient may encounter is that of withdrawal or relapse. Many patients fighting drug abuse face various challenges in staying clear of drugs, which may hamper their goal of sobriety in the long run.
However, it has been observed that a good rehabilitation center offering the right kind of treatment and follow-up care can go a long way in helping the patient achieve sobriety. Sadly, many people still end up getting back to the substance, despite receiving the best treatment and care. At times, people fail to see the long-term benefits of addiction treatment and are gripped by the fear of relapse due to an array of misconceptions surrounding it.
Some of the common myths associated with a relapse are:
- Relapse occurs when a person suddenly starts using drugs during recovery. Apparently, a relapse may begin long before a person actually gets back to the substance again. Most of the times, a relapse is preceded by a number of warning signs and paying a close attention to them can greatly help in curbing its occurrence.
- Relapse implies the failure of treatment. Recovery is an ongoing process. Therefore, relapse does not signify the end of the world. However, one needs to understand the problems that led to a relapse and get back to the track by reestablishing one’s abstinence to drugs and alcohol.
- Using a different drug is not relapse. Whether a person begins to use the same drug again or a new drug, it is simply a situation of relapse. Clearly, relapse does not depend on the type of the drug. Thus, a person cannot be considered as sober or clean unless he or she has stopped using all forms of substances.
- Relapse is unavoidable. It is not necessary that every individual who has completed a detox program will undergo a relapse. One can stay away from relapse by preventing any possible triggers, such as old friends or parties involving drugs or alcohol.
- Relapse has no specific reason. Whether it is stress, family pressure, or friends, there is always some or the other reason that instigates a person to reuse the substance of abuse. However, at times, people are convinced that they will have at least one slip-up and end up drinking or using drugs for no specific reason.
Staying sober is not difficult
Rather than stigmatizing substance abusers, one should assist them in successfully overcoming the dependency on substances. As addiction causes both mental and physical damages, detoxification becomes important in strengthening both emotional and social aspects of an individual. It is pertinent to note that every detox program, irrespective of its type, is aimed at helping a person attain a substance-free state, relief from the withdrawal symptoms, and treat the underlying psychiatric imbalance, if any.
