Relapse
 A
life of healthy, sober living does
not simply begin once treatment
has stopped. In most cases, the
process may last years or even a
lifetime. Recovering addicts must
prepare themselves for a life-long
struggle with drug dependency and
be mentally fit to meet all the
challenges they may be confronted
with along the way to staying sober.
Relapse
is a relatively common occurrence for patients who have completed
one form or another of drug rehabilitation program. It is
the term used to describe a recovering addict who resorts
back to taking drugs before completing a full recovery. Certain
major life changes such as a divorce, loss of employment or
the death of a loved one, as well as a series of smaller,
often trivial stressors, can lead to a relapse. Because no
rehabilitation program can be deemed a success when an instance
of relapse has taken place, the addict may be required to
undergo a short or long-term treatment program all over again
depending on the severity and frequency of the relapse. Still,
because relapse is a relatively common obstacle on the road
to complete recovery from drug addiction, it should not be
regarded as a failure on the part of the addict. Whether it
takes one, two, three or more tries to live a life completely
free of drug dependency, the long-term goals of the rehabilitation
process should not be abandoned as a result of a temporary
relapse. |