Relapse happens. You may hear that relapse is part of recovery and it is, but it does not have to be. Relapse prevention must be a part of recovery to help keep your eye on the prize – sobriety. Using an acronym to define R-E-L-A-P-S-E, can paint a bigger picture of what your target needs to be in your recovery.
R – Recovery
E – Exits
L – Life
A – And
P – Program
S – Seems
E – Empty
When you attend 12-Step meetings and listen to a newcomer share, the thing that you will be advised about repeatedly is that people who relapsed stopped working their program. Step work and meeting with a sponsor becomes limited, they stop going to meetings, and then they lose contact with their Higher Power. Once their program lapses, the slippery slope of relapse becomes more apparent and recovery goes away little by little.
Relapse prevention is a must in recovery. Without having recovery as the focal point of your life, chances increase of you turning right back into your addiction. The scary thing about relapsing is that you will pick up right from where you left off with your addictive behaviors. You may start drinking and using again to show others that your addiction does not have a stronghold on you. The truth is that addiction is progressive and while you may not have too many problems when you start back up, problems will eventually catch up to you and take you right back into the dark hole that you once escaped from.
Some people that relapse may not even make it back to take part in their recovery. With the progression of addiction, the void that needs to be filled with drugs and alcohol just keeps getting bigger and never-ending. Jails, institutions, and death are typically what happen to people who cannot or will not try to stay on track in their sobriety. Although you may not think that this can happen to you – it can, and it will if you do not get the help you need to recover from the insidious grip that addiction has on the people that it takes over.
Your perception with the things that are suggested for you to accomplish in recovery may be in the category of lame, and that is okay. Some things may seem pointless but giving it a shot to the best of your ability gives you a better chance to stay sober without Recovery Exiting Life And Program Seeming Empty.
R-E-L-A-P-S-E does not have to be a part of your story. Let the chapters of recovery prevail.
Serenity Oaks Wellness Center is a 5-week extensive treatment program that can help someone who is struggling with drugs and alcohol to get the help that they need. Our well-trained staff can be instrumental in putting together a relapse prevention plan to help you to stay in recovery for the long-haul.
Call us today:
855-652-2683
