Relapse is by no means a mandatory stop on the journey of recovery. But for those who do slip, the 12 Step communities can be forgiving and understanding. As long as you keep coming back, the saying goes, there’s still hope.
What about the people, however, who never come back from a relapse?
The sad reality is that one last drug or drink can easily have fatal consequences.
Especially for drug users, overdose is a frightening possibility, because of the effect of recovery on a user’s tolerance.
Through years of drug or alcohol use, the body develops a tolerance to the chemicals in a user’s drug of choice. It takes more and more of the drug or drink to have the same effect.
But the opposite is true once you stop using: In the absence of the drug or drink, your systems adjust again, and return to a baseline closer to that of someone who has never used at all. The cravings, however, stay pretty much the same.
Therefore, tragically, some people who relapse immediately return to the doses they were familiar with during the height of their addiction. After a period of recovery, though, their bodies can no longer handle it.
Whether or not that slip becomes fatal, picking up again can have dire consequences. You might not ever have a chance to try recovery again.
Why risk it? Call us today to discuss how you can build a program of solid recovery, and avoid relapse.