What Are Some Tips to Refocus on Recovery After Heroin Relapse?
Heroin relapse is a serious issue which people can struggle with physical and mentally. After the foundation is laid for sobriety, it may seem like all is well and the path to recovery is easy. However, triggers, cravings, stress, and emotional challenges can make recovery feel more difficult with each step. Relapse may be talked about as part of the recovery process but the warning signs get ignored or overlooked. Even if a person relapses, that is not the end of the story. There is hope to refocus attention on recovery and recalibrate for the journey ahead.
How to Cope
There are myriad ways to cope with heroin relapse. Many people will try to tell you how to handle it, but only you know how you want to navigate around this challenging time. Some of the following are some ways to look at relapse which won’t cause more harm as you move through this new part of the journey:
- Understand it: when you know what happened, it is easier to prevent in the future. If it blindsighted you and came seemingly out of nowhere, you may be able to identify with some help how things got out of control. When you know what caused you to stumble, you can make a plan to navigate around the issues that caused you to falter. Work with your recovery team to set new goals and find support for the journey
- Seek counseling: there is nothing wrong with continuing to seek help for issues related to addiction. Underlying issues often drive these patterns of behavior. Working through them will help you figure out what happened and get a better grip on the triggers. Mental health issues are not uncommon in the wake of relapse, or as a cause of relapse, so it is important to seek help to deal with these feelings that may rob you of feeling successful in life
- Find support: knowing you are not alone is a huge factor in preventing relapse. Oftentimes, drug addiction feels like a lonely disease nobody understands. Even with recovery groups and therapy, it can feel like nothing makes relapse worse than shame or feeling alone. Check in with recovery groups, find a new one, go to therapy, and find the help you need to get back on track with recovery goals
Recovery is a journey of a lifetime. Sometimes you fall down but you have to get back up again and keep trying. A lifetime may feel like a long time to journey in recovery but there is hope that you can find healing after relapse. Relapse can happen to anyone at any time in any place. Don’t let it unsettle your goals for recovery. Regroup, refocus, and find new purpose in recovery that will help make it stick for good this time.
Palmetto Center understands your journey is going to be unique. Filled with pitfalls and ups and downs, we know your recovery is not like someone else’s, which is why we designed our programs to fit your needs for mental and physical health in recovery. Our programs and resources are set up to help you feel successful whether it is your first time or follows relapse. Our program provides special focus for professionals including chiropractors, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and more who need help with addiction recovery. Call us to find out more: 866-848-3001.
