Relapse

What do you do when you have a relapse? Some of you begin the old habits of self-medicating daily, and continue your addiction spiral. You feel since you started the train again, might as well hit it hard, and choose to forget how happy you were when you are clean. Self begins to let things get bigger, when self already knows that when things get bigger, self goes back to the dysfunctional, chaotic, pathological behavior. Self then begins to beat self up for having the relapse and self-medicates, isolates, avoids, and gets stuck again. This pattern of relapse happens to a lot of people. However, if self can subscribe to the principals of staying in your health, staying in the moment, self can get back on track in one moment. You already have been utilizing how to control your thoughts, and got clean time when you do this. Therefore, if you do have a relapse, stick with the principals of what you learned, right? You have the power to get by this speed bump, and continue on the road. When client's do have a relapse, I have found most of them do the same things regardless of their different mental health diagnosis. First, they stop taking their medication, and are substituting their drug of choice, (DOC) with the prescribed medication. Next, they become so frustrated and angry with them self that they do not let their anger out in a positive manner. They feel guilty and shame. Finally, they will not utilize their support system, until the bender has run its course, or they go into the Detox, (DT'd) do to their body shutting down. All three of these examples are prevalent in addicts that have relapses at some time in their life. As a helper, the one thing that I try and emphasize with each client who has a relapse, is the ability for that client to let that experience of that relapse, go. When the client fixates or obsesses with what they just got done doing, the client seems to let the whole relapse feeling replay itself in their head, and then the urges and cravings appear to get out of control again.They remember their old using behaviors and experiences, and want to validate that experience with how they cope with their own mental health.  Positive reinforcement is needed for that client to focus on where they are right now, after relapse, not what they just did or what might happen in the future. Relapse prevention is when the client is able to understand that they have the power to be clean again, and use the tools that they have already acquired and implemented with that healthy routine before the relapse. Don't make the relapse thought bigger, let it go. You begin to deal with it when you are able to focus on you right now. Go back to your daily affirmations when you wake up. 1-10, express your mood level. Take your prescribed medication. Get some exercise. Go to a support meeting. Be active in your day. Journal your thoughts. Get back into the healthy routine that you did before your relapse. Eat three meals a day with healthy snacks in between.  Work your program. It starts with self, find your balance, use your higher power to guide you and do something fun for your self, while giving your self credit! Stay in your health, stay in the moment.