Relapse is the return to the addiction after a period of abstinence for some time. It’s not uncommon for people who struggle with addictions to relapse after completing treatment, and it doesn’t mean treatment failed. Instead, a relapse signifies that additional and/or a different form of treatment is necessary.
Addiction is a chronic medical condition characterized by an inability to control the use despite the harm it leads to. Due to the chronic nature of addiction, relapse is often part of the disease.
Addiction is a brain disease and, as such, may involve disruptions to certain brain circuits and neural processes as a result of chronic drinking and/or drug use.
Certain internal or external cues can activate the urge to drink or use drugs, increasing the risk of relapses. Common factors include anxiety, stress, peer pressure, loneliness, interpersonal issues, relationship issues, sleeplessness, and withdrawal symptoms.
We design methodic relapse management plans that are specifically tailored to suit the needs of every individual. We consider the person’s environment, level of motivation, the severity of their addiction, co-occurring medical and mental health conditions, and other factors while designing the roadmap for their relapse management.
A person’s support system also plays an important role in recovery and the avoidance of relapse. Our psychologists conduct family counseling and therapy sessions which helps both to better understand the disease of addiction and learn to recognize potential relapse triggers and ways they can support in those instances.
Mental health disorders can only be treated to the extent of managing a patient’s symptoms. Mental health relapse is returning to prominent symptoms associated with the mental health disorder and a person’s decreased activities for daily living as the result of those symptoms. Mental health relapse is not something that occurs overnight, it gradually develops over time. Someone who is experiencing a mental health relapse is someone who is seeing the onset of their symptoms once again.
We try to nip the mental health relapses in the bud as quickly as possible because the longer the relapses last, the longer the recovery period. As far as mental health relapses, medications and therapy go hand-in-hand. Depending on the type of mental health disorder, we provide a relapse plan after a detailed inquiry about their past treatment and history. We also ensure that the family members and the affected individual are completely aware of the dos and don’ts pertaining to their condition.
