Understanding Recovery: Why Do Addicts Relapse?

Even with treatment, approximately 40% to 60% of people with substance abuse addictions relapse. However, the rate is even higher in some studies.

Relapsing occurs when an addict gets clean for a time but then goes back to drugs or alcohol. For example, they might stay clean for a few days, months, or years, but eventually, they turn back to their substance of choice.

Why do addicts relapse? This question is one that many families ask when they’re trying to help their loved ones break addictions.

If you’re wondering about this, you might want to learn the answer. Continue reading to learn more.

Not Enough Treatment

Addiction relapse often happens for several reasons. One reason is a lack of treatment. When a person struggles with a drug addiction, getting enough professional help is vital.

When a person uses drugs, the drugs change their brain. Their brain becomes dependent on the substance and stops working as normal. As a result, the addict’s brain doesn’t function correctly without drugs.

Therefore, people need a recovering professional program when breaking their addictions, and they must continue treatment for as long as necessary. Leaving a program too soon might increase their odds of relapsing.

Old Patterns

Secondly, addicts relapse when they return to their old patterns. For example, addiction recovery programs teach addicts to change their people, places, and things. Changing these things is vital for staying sober.

Unfortunately, many addicts don’t realize that they need a long-term recovery plan to stay clean. As a result, they go back to their old friends or hangouts and end up back in their addictions.

Not Ready

An addict that seeks addiction support because they want to has a higher chance of staying clean after completing a program.

Unfortunately, some addicts only seek treatment because of the pressure their families put on them. As a result, many addicts relapse because they aren’t ready to give up their addictions.

They’re not ready to change their lifestyles and patterns, which means they won’t develop healthy habits to use in their lives.

Mental Illness

Overcoming addiction isn’t a simple task. It takes strength, willpower, and professional help. When a person struggles with mental illness on top of an addiction, their chances of relapsing increase.

Many people turn to drugs because of mental illness. Therefore, if you don’t treat the mental illness and drug addiction, the person is more likely to return to drugs.

If you suspect that your loved one struggles with a mental illness, you can encourage them to seek the necessary treatment for that and their addiction.

Why Do Addicts Relapse?

After reading this guide, you’ll see some of the reasons that explain “why do addicts relapse?” As you learn these reasons, you might understand why your loved one went back to drugs.

Learning these reasons might help you know how to help your loved one next time they decide to get clean.

If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of our site for more information about addiction.