Why do so many alcoholics and addicts in recovery relapse? People do this knowing it could cost them their relationships, their freedom, their professional careers, and even their lives. It’s a disheartening and very real factor of addiction that relapse can still occur after years of sobriety.

I personally have dealt with the struggles of addiction, as we all have in some form or another. During some of the most painful moments in my life, a mindless relapse would ignite and take-off. With this comes bouts of depression, anxiety, pain, disappointment, and the loss of inner-worth.

Some months sober here, a few there, yet we tend to still somehow find ourselves right back into the problems. I feel judged even admitting to whoever is reading this that I used drugs, and that is a major part of the relapse problem…shame.

Approximately 40 to 60% of drug addicts in recovery will relapse, according to extensive studies made by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. I think this number is being optimistic just from my experience.

This same institute calls relapse “not only possible but also likely” due to the chronic nature of addiction. It’s a mental conundrum that gives many a vibe of hopelessness.

Relapse is common, and it doesn’t discriminate. Drugs are the great equalizer. This means whether you are a celebrity hoarding millions of dollars, or broke and homeless under a bridge, the drugs will take you down just as quickly.

Both mentally and physically. No prejudice is ever involved with addiction.

The Experts Opinions

“There’s no scientific reason why someone in long-term recovery relapses again and someone else doesn’t,” said Dr. Deni Carise, deputy chief clinical officer at CRC Health Group. So, being a logical and science-based thinker myself, once science can’t come to any form of a conclusion…I see impending doom.

This doom and pain of trying to micro-manage an addict creates fear and confusion for countless families, loved ones, and friends who have experienced, or continue to deal with, the destruction that addiction causes.

Dr. Scott Krakower is the assistant unit chief of psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Queens. He states, “We know treatment and addiction has periods of remissions and relapses. Without continuous treatment and support, relapse essentially is easier.” That makes sense.

“Also, users of opioid drugs like oxycodone and heroin have a much higher relapse rate than other addicts, nearly as high as 80% or above”, Krakower added.

He also mentioned that addiction as a disease has both “a genetic underpinning and social stressors,”. The latter “may trigger a cascade effect, and that causes someone to become an addict or go through a relapse.”

Different social stressors that can trigger a relapse include emotional and family stress, anxiety or falling in with other people who are using. Sometimes just seeing or smelling the drug is enough.

Was my generation exposed to more drugs? Yes, there’s a plethora of new research chemicals out there that is one molecule off of an illegal drug. Also, I believe we are all aware now that the drug market online is far too simple to navigate.

A 14-year old kid being able to order MDMA, Fentanyl, and Ketamine very simply online tends to create a terrible widespread effect. Drugs force a young adult to mature and grow up at a much more rapid pace.

Unexplainable Recklessness

Too many “normies”, or non-addicts, find it hard to comprehend why people with substance use disorders would recklessly risk their lives for a short escape or high. Brain chemistry helps explain such behavior.

The use of drugs and alcohol releases dopamine in the “reward” pathway of the brain…dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain’s reward and pleasure centers, as well as the addict’s ability to control emotional responses.

“This can affect alcoholics and addicts to the point that their brains completely re-prioritize what’s most important. Drugs degrade our decision making to primitive levels similar to the need of eating and instinctual survival,” says Dr. Marvin Seppala, chief medical officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in Minnesota.

Like most people, many have always thought that a drug or alcohol relapse occurs when a person begins using again. This is a common misconception. There is actually a cycle involved in relapsing, and generally, the addict has planned this relapse, even sub-consciously, weeks if not months in advance.

There are many things that trigger a person in recovery, but stages in life including emotional, physical, and psychological changes or stressors are the most common.

Incurable Habits?

Addiction and alcoholism are chronic and in many senses incurable. Hindering the little monster in the mind takes hard work. No one can simply take medication and be magically cured…if only.

An alcoholic or addict can get clean for a significant period, whether by spending time in treatment, attending 12-step support group meetings or some combination of the two. Yet, staying sober for the rest of life is a challenging war with many battles to be fought.

Ironically, relapse can happen during some of lives happiest milestones such as getting married, family trips, having a baby or gaining an inheritance. These are a few of the many potential triggers in our complex world.

Technology Gives “Hope”

New prescription medication such as Suboxone and Vivitrol, medications are known as opioid “antagonists” have the ability to block the effects of opiate drugs. This sense of accountability can help some opioid users break their addiction and feel safe.

In my opinion, such medications are viable for the short-term and do not give the patient what they really need…inner-peace. The ability to recognize what they truly want from life. Many addicts have been waiting for someone to rescue them and have used many excuses as to why drugs “enhance” life rather than destroy it.

Also, the above medications only block opiates, what about the countless other drugs they don’t block? Cross and Poly-addiction are real…moving from one drug to another thinking it is safer. SMH…

The inevitable fall is always hanging around the corner we just trick our minds into believing we have one more run in us.

Anyone with substantial substance use disorder must change their behavior to stay clean. This is very similar to diabetics who have to be mindful of their carb intake.

Although this article gives little hope and includes a somewhat morbid tone, it’s the reality of addiction and the world today. I truly believe medical technology and medicine will continue to evolve, innovate, and adapt towards the necessary solutions needed for this epidemic ravishing our world.

Some Suggestions for Sobriety

Join a Support Group — whether it’s the 12-step program, SMART recovery, Refuge recovery, or joining a gym/meditation group the fact you're keeping your mind and body engaged in a positive activity is key. Boredom is our worst enemy. Surround Yourself with Positive People — This is a continuation of reaching out for help through like-minded folks. Doing this allows for continued accountability and fellowship within a group of people who understand your struggles. Learn New Strategies to Cope — Often people in recovery experience the “pink cloud effect” during the first weeks, months, or even years of abstinence. It’s a euphoric feeling of well-being that eventually wears off through receiving punches to the face from reality that everyone is hit with. The addict or alcoholic in recovery must do the hard work of learning how to deal with life’s ups and downs without reaching for a drink or drugs. This, again, is the real relapse challenge. Remain Vigilant in Mind, Spirit, and Body — “Remember that significant sober time doesn’t exempt you from relapse,” says Anita Gadhia-Smith, a psychotherapist who practices in the District of Columbia and beyond. “Anyone can relapse at any point in time. If a relapse occurs after a long period of sobriety, you will not pick up where you left off. The disease of addiction progresses even while you are sober in recovery, so you will pick up where you would be in your disease as if you had never stopped.” Scary stuff…yet it’s the reality of it all. If you Relapse, Don’t Stay Quiet — As commonplace relapse is, isolating will only make a relapse worse. If you relapse, remember that the structural integrity that got you sober in the first place can work again. With daily repetition, you’re much more likely to have success long term. It’s “simply” breaking a deeply ingrained habit.

Ultimately, the only way for a recovering addict to have a chance of sobriety is to make it a top priority every single day. No matter what’s going on, recognize that one of the most important things you do each day is not picking up a drink or a drug. Most importantly be thankful and proud of this daily accomplishment.

I’ll end with this — It’s easy to criticize an addict with chronic relapse problems without any prior, or proper, knowledge…but remember these addicts are potentially suffering so much inside it’s mentally unimaginable and scorning will only push the problem further.

BE COMPASSIONATE. BE LOVING. BE UNDERSTANDING. Nobody in elementary school wanted to be an addict or alcoholic when they grew up, so inducing authentic hope is the best thing for such a conflicted person.

I hope that this article helped at least one person with a child, husband or wife, deeply close friend, maid, grandparent, or parent in the middle of a relapse understand it’s not a simple choice. Nancy was wrong, “Just Say No” is a tall order and feat, as our more current history has shown.

Stay sober and let your mind free.

Namaste,

J. Robert Fallon III