If you suffer from substance use disorder, you may have different reasons for wanting to know more about relapsing. Applying a numerical statistic from compiled data is the simple part of answering the question. The pure statistics showing the relapse rate for drug and alcohol addiction are not pleasant.
A more useful way to analyze the data is by exploring common reasons behind the relapse and how you can best avoid landing on the wrong side of these alarming statistics. Let’s briefly touch on what the relapse rate is for drug and alcohol addiction, but then explore deeper how you can add yourself to the positive side of the ledger.
Relapse Rates for Drug and Alcohol Addiction
One reason relapse rate statistics are ambiguous is the difference between substances. Anyone in recovery, regardless of their drug of choice, must guard against relapse. Drugs with higher tendencies for addiction support higher rates of relapse.
However, because of the lack of a criminal element as long as you are of legal drinking age, alcohol’s relapse rate is high as well. The rate of alcohol relapse is higher for younger adults as well. Alcohol is available for sale legally, and visible triggers are everywhere.
Another part of the equation is the combination of substances with alcohol. This combination clearly multiplies the problem. There is a general consensus that nearly three-quarters of the individuals who enter treatment are abusing alcohol along with at least one other drug.
Drugs and alcohol mixed is an extremely dangerous combination. Another, possibly even more dangerous combination is any addiction with a mental health disorder. There are millions of addicts and alcoholics who recognize as having co-occurring disorders.
Far too often, the self-healing prophecy is that once the substance is gone life will miraculously get better. This is another primary reason that drives up relapse rates. Alcoholism and drug addiction are invariably symptoms of deeper issues.
Situations and Circumstances that Cause a Relapse
The number one reason many addicts and alcoholics relapse is common no matter what substance you abuse. You believe that you can either handle your drinking or drug use better or stop altogether on your own.
Without help, the success rate for sustained recovery is poor at best. There are also those who start a treatment plan only to quit. The relapse rate for individuals who walk away from treatment is dramatically higher than it is for individuals who complete a program.
Treatment does not offer any guarantees that you will immediately become relapse proof. There are still an alarming number of people who complete treatment and then relapse. Recovery is a lifelong journey, not a destination that you reach.
There are thousands of stories of long-term sobriety that have been washed away in an instant. When you walk away from a support group or recovery program, the chance of a relapse magnifies.
Seeing the alarming statistics for relapsing back into alcohol and drug addiction is scary. Rightfully, they should be. Each relapse has the potential to add to another even worse statistic. That statistic is the number of people who die from drug or alcohol-related issues.
But there is a way to stop the maddening merry-go-round of relapse. Despite all the abysmal statistics that seem to drain away hope for sustained sobriety, there is a solution. That solution is to follow a few proven recovery suggestions to help avoid a relapse.
How to Help Avoid a Relapse
The first way to help avoid a relapse is to avoid the reason number for relapsing. Don’t consider yourself unique enough to try to tackle addiction on your own. Treatment is not punishment for people who do bad things.
Treatment for drug and alcoholism is a way for good people to get better. If you even think you may have a problem with drugs or alcohol, there is a good chance you do. Trying to navigate this path alone can be dangerous.
We mentioned that even those who choose to start a treatment program still relapse. Once you make the commitment to seek help, make a commitment to go to any lengths that are suggested. This includes finishing your treatment program.
There are no guarantees in recovery, but there is one highly likely result. Once you choose to get help and then complete a treatment program, there will be more. As we said, recovery is a beautiful lifelong journey. There will be bumps along the way.
However, if you enter a treatment program, complete that treatment program, and then stay connected to your recovery, you turn the odds in your favor of avoiding a relapse. The relapse rates for drug and alcohol addiction are not good, but you don’t have your name to the wrong side of the ledger.
People, who insist that relapse is a part of recovery, are not wrong. There are too many statistics that prove that to be true. However, there is another side to the relapse equation. It is filled with personal stories that sound like miracles.
If you look into each of these miracles, many follow different paths, but with a few very common things. These miracles admitted they had a serious problem that they could no longer fight on their own. They asked for help.
Each of these miracles became open to suggestions that would help them recover from their addiction. They followed this advice to the letter. If you feel you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, you may turn out to be one of these miracles.
The first step you need to take in your journey is to ask for help. Make that call today, because tomorrow may be too late. Set out on your journey with the confidence that just because the relapse rate for drugs and alcohol addiction isn’t good, you don’t have to be a statistic. You can be a miracle. Call us at 833-497-3808.