Relapse Prevention for Alcohol Addiction

The journey through alcohol addiction recovery is a long and bumpy ride. Some individuals may have the expectation that as soon as they stop drinking alcohol, all of their problems are going to go away. However, this is not the case. Addiction is a disease, not something one can simply walk away from, and building a new life without the use of alcohol is going to take time. Additionally, this new life direction often brings about many mixed emotions; one moment you may be extremely excited about all of the new possibilities being sober can bring to your life, and the next you find yourself depressed about leaving old habits and friends behind, a problem that many of my clients struggled with. With all of these overwhelming emotions and changes in your life, it can cause you to feel confused and doubt your commitment to your new lifestyle.

Alcoholism Relapse Not Uncommon

Due to the addictive power that alcohol holds over many men and women, the possibility of relapse tends to be quite common. In fact, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 90 percent of individuals will experience a relapse one or more times in the four years after treatment. (Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholic Relapse)

As a recovering alcoholic, one of the most important things for you to realize is that experiencing a relapse does not mean that you are a failure. Just because you have started drinking again does not mean that you are a hopeless case and cannot eventually beat your addiction once and for all. If you find that you have fallen back into your old ways of drinking, you need to continue to seek help and support that will get you back on the right path. (Different Alcohol Treatment Programs Work for Different People)

---

Treatment Program: Lauren Hardy M.A., writes on the behalf of Abilene Behavioral Health which is a center of excellence in the field of behavioral health care, providing the most comprehensive and effective treatment services.