A therapist talks to her patient about what you should do after a relapse

What Should You Do After a Relapse?

Relapses are extremely common during addiction recovery. A common base estimate is that 40 to 60 percent of people relapse during the first year. Other estimates suggest that at least 90 percent of people recovering from alcohol use disorder relapse at least once before they can maintain a stable recovery and the same may be…

Two women discuss whether relapse is part of recovery

Is Relapse Part of Recovery?

It’s often said that relapse is part of recovery, that, far from being a catastrophe, it’s a necessary step in overcoming addiction. Others say this message is unnecessarily pessimistic and creates an expectation of failure. Which way of thinking about relapse is most helpful for people trying to recover from a substance use disorder? First,…

two friends ride in a boat as they talk about bouncing back after a relapse

Bouncing Back After a Relapse

Sometimes we view our relapses as evidence of our failure. We believe that because we weren’t successful with our recovery this time, we won’t ever be. Sometimes we use a relapse as an excuse to start actively using again. Bouncing back after a relapse means taking inventory of where you got off track, identifying what…