Alcohol Relapse: It Happens

What Do I Do If I’m A Recovering Alcoholic and Relapse?

The first thing you should know is that relapse happens.  Alcoholics drink and therefore relapse is not that uncommon.  The important thing is that you are able to learn from the relapse that you experienced so that you do not make the same mistake twice. Unfortunately sometimes when an alcohol relapse occurs an individual is not able to stop their alcohol abuse before they develop another physical dependency.  If this happens sometimes the best thing to do is to go to an alcohol rehab to build the foundation for your recovery.   If you have already been to an alcohol rehab prior to relapsing then it could be beneficial to participate in a relapse prevention program.

What Are Relapse “Triggers” For Alcohol?

When dealing with alcohol relapse prevention it is important to be able to identify what “triggers” may cause someone to drink.  Triggers come in many different forms and not every recovering alcoholic has the same triggers.  Some common triggers are as followed: being around old places where alcohol abuse took place, spending time with friends you used to drink with, being involved in an unhealthy relationship, not dealing with emotions, depression or existing resentments, and staying isolated. Relapse begins to happen before an individual actually picks up a drink.  Usually an individual will first start cutting back on the amount of twelve step meetings they attend and stop calling their support.  When this happens, eventually the recovering alcoholic is likely to relapse.  If not handled in a timely and appropriate fashion relapse can result in grave consequences.

Is Alcohol Relapse Prevention Necessary? Is Alcohol Rehab Treatment Always an Option?

Participating in alcohol rehab treatment is always an option but the question is how many times is an individual going to be able to financially and emotionally afford it.  Even the best insurance benefits will eventually expire.  This is why it is important that when an individual does attend alcohol rehab treatment they choose a facility that has a good alcohol relapse prevention programs.