Dealing With Relapse – Afloat Website

Advice for

avoiding
a relapse

Coping with a relapse can be a formidable challenge on the journey towards recovery, making it crucial to navigate with understanding and resilience. For those in recovery, recognising the warning signs and having effective strategies in place will help them in overcoming the challenges that lie ahead.

Look out for

THE common warning signs¹

1. Romanticising

opioid use

It is easy to remember only the feelings from taking opioids and forget all the anguish that the abuse of opioids may have caused. However, fondly reminiscing about past opioid use can be a dangerous trigger for a relapse.

2. Believing in

casual use

Thinking that opioids can be taken again without relapsing ignores the chronic nature of addiction, which needs to be dealt with continuously. Recovery can only be achieved by completely abstaining from opioid use.

3. Revisiting old

relationships

Revisiting old relationships that involved past opioid use can act as a trigger for a relapse. Negative environments in general can have a serious impact on someone’s recovery journey because of the vulnerability to negative influences.

4. Change in

behaviour

A sudden change in behaviour, such as increased isolation, avoiding support, or stopping activities that were part of recovery could be warning signs of relapse.

5. Doubting

THE recovery
process

A clear warning sign that there may be a relapse is if there is uncertainty about how well the recovery process is working.

Be aware of

mental health

For a general overview and
guidance on common relapse
triggers and how to avoid
them, see the section:

Overcoming opioid addiction

Triggers that are related to mental health are some of the most common that someone overcoming an opioid addiction may experience.¹

In particular, someone with a history of opioid addiction may be particularly at risk of a relapse triggered by depression.¹

Some common symptoms

of depression¹

Hopelessness

Low energy

Significant appetite fluctuation

Guilt

Feelings of being worthless

Problems concentrating

Anxious feelings

Change in sleep patterns

Irritability

Lack of interest in things

Stress can be another common mental health trigger for relapse. For many people, stress is part of everyday life, but for someone in recovery, opioid abuse may have been a way to cope with stress.¹

Anyone who has used opioids in order to reduce stress in the past is likely to return to relapse if the causes of stress reappear in the future.¹

What is
stress?

Stress can be described as the feeling experienced by someone who is under a lot of pressure.¹

Mindful

well-being:

Prioritise mental health by incorporating mindfulness practices, therapy, or support groups into your routine. This may help to manage stress or depression, and help prevent relapse.²

Other mental health

triggers include:

Exhaustion:

When someone doesn’t get enough sleep, it can lead to self-neglect, making them more vulnerable to the possibility of using again. It is important to keep the body as healthy as possible during the recovery process.¹

Healthy

living:

Keep the body as healthy as possible during the recovery process.¹

Isolation:

Isolation can be a trigger for relapse, as it can mean a separation from the recovery process and any treatments involved.¹

Seek

support:

A positive support system is crucial to ongoing recovery, so it can help to be surrounded by supportive friends and family, or attend a support group.¹

Recovering from

a relapse

A relapse does not mean failure. Recovering from a relapse is an important part of the journey towards overcoming opioid addiction.

For someone who has relapsed, acknowledging that the problem has returned and that a new treatment plan is needed may be the priority, but there are other important actions that will help get back on the road to recovery.

Support for the return

to recovery¹

1

Understand that
relapse is common

Relapsing is common when recovering from addiction, similar to other conditions such as asthma or diabetes. It is not a failure but a part of the process.

2

Act quickly when
a relapse occurs

Recognise relapse as a serious situation that can have a serious impact on health.

3

Find out why the
relapse happened

Knowing the triggers helps to prevent them in the future. Recognising personal warning signs makes it easier to spot any signs of relapse.

4

Create a relapse
prevention plan

Work with a friend, relative or healthcare professional to develop a plan to prevent future relapses. While it doesn’t guarantee avoidance, having a plan increases the chances of a successful, long-term recovery.

5

Take steps
for prevention
and recovery

Although there’s no absolute guarantee against relapse, following prevention and recovery steps can significantly improve the chances of a successful and lasting recovery.

JUST LOOKING FOR INFORMATION
ON OPIOID ADDICTION?
Explore our website by scrolling through the page or clicking this menu button.

References

Ackermann, K. (2019). Warning Signs of Relapse: Depression, Stress, and Other Triggers. [online] American Addiction Centers. Available at: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/adult-addiction-treatment-programs/signs-of-relapse [Accessed July 2024].
Mental Health Foundation (2022). How to look after your mental health using mindfulness. [online] www.mentalhealth.org.uk. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/publications/how-look-after-your-mental-health-using-mindfulness [Accessed July 2024].