Learning how to live sober can lead to some bumps in the road. However, overcoming these obstacles can be extremely rewarding and build incredible self-confidence. Alcohol relapse can cause recovering alcoholics to fall into the same routine and patterns as before, so they should seek help to ensure sobriety and recover if they relapse.
Risks Involved with Relapse
Alcohol relapse can be extremely dangerous and damage a recovering alcoholic’s life. It can also cause any of the following risks:
- Lowered tolerance
- Replacing one addiction for another
- Thinking you have control of your addiction
Because the recovering addict has been sober for a little bit, she has a lower tolerance to alcohol’s side effects when compared to before. Having a lowered tolerance means that a smaller amount of alcohol will have a greater affect than it did before she got sober. Unfortunately, recovering addicts may be unaware of this, so they believe that they can start their use at the same rate as before—this often results in a drug overdose. Due to the pain that recovering addicts suffer during detox, they may replace alcohol with a different drug. Some recovering alcoholics believe they can control their drinking by limiting their use to certain occasions in hope that this will prevent difficulties and relapse. However, many people who try this method often fall victim to relapse.
How Can Family and Friends Help Prevent a Relapse?
Having a strong foundation of loved ones and friends can reduce the risks for relapse. Families and friends can help prevent a relapse from occurring by taking any of the following actions:
- Support
- Reinforcement
- Boundaries
Recovering alcoholics may have gone through the recovery process more than once, but supporting any effort for sobriety is the key to preventing it from happening again. Support is an essential component to relapse prevention, because it helps recovering alcoholics build self-esteem, feel valued and persevere through tough times. Also, when a recovering addict informs you of his desire to get clean, reinforce his current life style and choices. By reinforcing the new behaviors, you are helping him make sober choices. Lastly, boundaries are crucial to a recovering addict’s health and yours. Make sure that no matter how difficult or how bad someone desires your help, stick to the boundaries you set. Addicts will often push the limits of these boundaries to help favor his needs, so stay strong.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment
If you or a loved one struggles with alcoholism, then please call our toll-free helpline today. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day to answer your addiction questions and to help you find the best treatment available. Your life is worth the call, so reach out for help right now.
