The Levels Of Relapse
The road to temperance is seldom straight, as most addicts relapse on the way. Throughout the recovery procedure addicts unavoidably experience stressors from the family of work, which obligates them to use the drugs again. The pangs or cravings for drugs can never vanish wholly, and a drug addict returns to them with full force during the periods of anxiety and stress. Relapses are normal during recovery time, but they cannot be avoided so easily. Relapses can only be avoidable when your family triggers you or when you know the warning signs of relapses, or at least you try to minimize the intensity level. Relapses don’t happen all of a sudden; thus if you examine a loved one behaving awkward or suspiciously during recovery, you can take action to help them before they do something harmful.
What are the levels of relapse?
Similar to other severe condition, a relapse relates to the reoccurrence of a disease which has already finished into recovery. Moreover, just like in a resorting lung or heart condition, not all relapses are made equal. Often, a relapse tumbles into the following categories;
- Full Relapse
Relapses happen when addicts deliberately look out drug usage. It can be a full binge or one session until the patient gets back to the treatment. If a patient doesn’t get back, it’s viewed as full relapse which activated a return to fully ripe addiction.
- A “Slip”
Slips relate to the time in which a recovering addict uses an illegal substance and then stop. Slips include consuming a sip of wine at an event or inhaling a joint when one has occurred their way. People usually don’t count these ingredients as heavy drug usage, but for recovering addicts, it is critical to recognize these slip-ups and make efforts to prevent them from reoccurring. Revitalization of pangs for heavy drug use can occur even with a little consumption of an illicit substance.
Top inductions of substance abuse relapse
- Secession symptoms (physical weakness, nausea, anxiety, stress)
- Post-intense secession signs (irritability, poor sleep, anxiety, mood swings)
- Less self-care (sleeping, eating, stress management)
- People (old friends who are drug addicts)
- Places (where the patient used to buy drugs).
- Things ( that prompt you of drug use)
- Sex and relationships (can be stressful)
- Isolation (makes you think of damaging ideas or which can never be in your favour)
- Overconfidence and pride (assuming that you have no alcohol or drug issue)
Levels Of Relapse
Relapse is a procedure; it’s not a case. To recognize and take steps to preclude relapse we must understand the levels of relapse. Relapse initiates weeks before the occurrence of relapse. These are the three levels of relapse.
- Emotional relapse
- Mental relapse
- Physical relapse
- Emotional Relapse
In emotional relapse, the emotional urge, craving or pang sets you up for an expected relapse. The symptoms include; isolation, mood swings, anger, anxiety, defensiveness, intolerance, not meeting people, poor sleeping and eating habits and not willing to take help. The symptoms of emotional relapse are linked to the post-intense secession. If you recognize post-intense withdrawal, it would be easy to avoid relapse because relapse can be pulled back easily in early stages.
- Mental Relapse
In mental relapse, multiple things are hitting your mind. In this phase, you idly think about drug or alcohol use. However, in the intense phase, you naturally crave for using it. The symptoms include; lying, hanging out with friends who are drug addicts, planning about relapse, fantasizing your drug use and past use. It gets difficult to make the right decision as the trigger of addiction gets stronger.
- Physical Relapse
Once you have started thinking about relapse, if you don’t follow the above instructions, it will take no time to use the drug, get a glass of drink, calling your dealer for marijuana, heroin, alcohol, cocaine or opioids. It’s challenging to stop relapse at this point. It would help if you made efforts to achieve abstinence from brute force. If you acknowledge the initial warning signs of relapse and understand the symptoms of post-intense withdrawal, you’ll be able to handle yourself before regretting your decision.