Addiction recovery can be a complicated and overwhelming process. It can be slow process that can have just as many ups and it has downs. Relapsing can be a part of this process, but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the recovery journey, it’s a point to pause and make adjustments.

Risk Factors for Addiction are Risk Factors for Relapse

Some of the same elements that can predispose a person to a substance abuse disorder are some of the same things that can cause a relapse. These include:

  • Biology – This includes things like a person’s gender, ethnicity and any co-occurring mental health issues. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a genetic predisposition combined with environmental factors accounts for about half of a person’s risk of addiction.
  • Environmental – A person’s environment covers many different factors of an individual’s life but has a great influence on drug use and abuse. Things like quality of life, stress, family and peer pressure, financial stability, etc., are considered part of a person’s environment.
  • Development – The stage of development affects the vulnerability of an individual for drug addiction. The earlier drug abuse begins the higher the likelihood it will escalate to more serious problem.

Comorbidity Can Complicate the Path

There often isn’t a single factor that can trigger a relapse. The factors can work together to create a perfect storm of triggers, self-doubt and self-hatred. This is especially true if a co-occurring mental illness wasn’t properly diagnosed during the first round of treatments.

Proper diagnoses of all the things that are going on in an individual’s situation allows for a personalized treatment plan to be created for the restoration of one’s recovery.

At Beauterre Recovery Institute we understand that the road to recovery isn’t necessarily a straight path. It will have its ups and downs, forks in the road and the recovery may be incremental at times. If relapse happens to you or a loved one, it’s best dealt with openly and honestly so that relapse recovery can occur.