Overcome a Setback in Addiction Treatment

How to Get Back on Track After a Setback in an Addiction Treatment Program

Hit a speed bump on your addiction treatment recovery journey?  Don’t worry; you’re not the only one. Kim Richards, Kelly Osbourne, Demi Lovato and Macklemore have relapsed after recovery.

A relapse, either a temporary slip or a major setback, is an expected part of the recovery process.

Don’t consider it a failure.  Instead, take it as a detour on the road and use it as a chance to learn, grow, and reinforce the recovery process.

This actionable resource provides a few suggestions that can assist you in getting back on track following a relapse in an addiction treatment program.

#1 Identify What Triggered the Setback

Relapse doesn’t just occur out of nowhere. There is always something that induces cravings and increases your chances of turning back to substances. 

To get back on track, you need to investigate what led to the setback. 

Triggers can come from the world around you or from within. The people, places, and things that your brain connects with past substance use are external triggers. These could be driven by a particular bar, hearing a certain song, or seeing an old friend who is still using it. 

Be Conscious of Your Inner World. Your own feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations are internal cravings that spark a craving. These can be more insidious and difficult to pinpoint, but are often the more powerful drivers of a relapse.

Sometimes, however, the most powerful triggers are the ones you don’t see coming. Positive events, such as a new relationship and a lack of routine and connection, are examples. 

To understand what led to the relapse, trace your steps back in time. A great way to do this is through some honest self-reflection and maybe writing your thoughts down in a journal. 

#2 Revisit Your Recovery Plan

Your original recovery plan wasn’t a failure but a first draft. Now, after this setback, you have valuable new information to create an even stronger plan.  

Tightening up routines, adding new coping tools, or revisiting therapy can help. But if these don’t help, it would be wise to explore treatment programs at addiction treatment centers.  

Mesa in Arizona (AZ), for instance, ranks in the second spot among the U.S. cities with the highest drug use. Marijuana and cocaine are the most widely used drugs in Mesa. 

Treatment programs local to Mesa focus on helping individuals build structure and avoid local triggers to get back on track. 

According to Purpose Healing Center, JCAHO-accredited treatment centers use medical detox and evidence-based therapies such as motivational interviewing to ensure lasting recovery. 

Substance misuse prevention efforts are also ongoing throughout the West Valley. This is why there is no shortage of treatment centers offering detox and rehab in the Phoenix metropolitan region.  

Sun City alone has 15 drug and alcohol detox centers, many of which offer low-cost treatment options. A quick search for detox and rehab options local to Sun City, AZ. will bring forth tons of options. 

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#3 Practice Radical Self-Care

After a setback, your inner critic can get really loud.

It might be telling you that you’re weak, that you don’t deserve to feel good, or that you should be punished for your mistake.

Don’t listen to your inner voice; practice radical self-care instead.

Radical self-care was born out of social justice movements and championed by activists and writers such as Audre Lorde. 

According to Lorde, caring for yourself is not self-indulgence; it is self-preservation. For someone in recovery, it’s a powerful way to reclaim their life and well-being.

Shame and self-criticism are fuel for addiction. The antidote is self-compassion. 

Researcher Dr. Kristin Neff breaks it down into three simple parts: 

• Self-Kindness: Talk to yourself with the same warmth and encouragement you’d offer a good friend.
• Common Humanity: Remember that you are not alone. Everyone struggles, and making mistakes is part of being human.
• Mindfulness: Notice your difficult feelings without letting them sweep you away.  

Regular exercise, eating a balanced, nutritious diet, and ensuring adequate sleep and rest are also examples of radical self-care.  

Mentally, practices like meditation can be beneficial. Journaling thoughts and feelings can bring clarity, and actively challenging negative thoughts is important.

Persistence, Not Perfection

Navigating a setback in recovery can feel like being lost in a thick fog. The path you were on disappeared, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by confusion, shame, and fear. 

But it’s important to remember that you are not lost, and you are certainly not alone. This is a detour, not a dead end. You have a compass in your hands, and you have the strength to find your way back to the path.   

So, hold onto hope, and lean on the people who believe in you. And most of all, be gentle with yourself. The journey forward happens one step, one choice, and one day at a time.

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