The actual moment of relapse — the drink, the hit, the pill — is just the final scene in a longer story. Most relapses start subtly, long before substances reenter the picture. Recognizing early warning signs can help you pivot before it’s too late.
Three Stages of Relapse:
1. Emotional Relapse – You’re not thinking about using, but your emotions and behaviors are setting the stage. Signs include:
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- Bottling up feelings
- Isolating
- Poor sleep/eating habits
- Skipping meetings
2. Mental Relapse – The internal tug-of-war begins.
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- Cravings increase
- Glorifying past use
- Minimizing consequences
- Bargaining (e.g., "just one")
3. Physical Relapse – The act of using again.
How to Interrupt the Cycle:
- Talk it out. Speak to someone in recovery. Be brutally honest.
- Identify HALT triggers. Are you Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?
- Change your environment. Go for a walk, hit a meeting, call a friend.
- Recommit daily. Sobriety is a one-day-at-a-time gig.
Relapse doesn’t have to be part of your story — but if it is, it’s not the end. Many people find their strongest recovery after a slip. Use it. Learn from it. Get back up and keep pushing forward.