Mistakenly, people try to remove the shame of relapse by cooing that “relapse is part of the recovery process.” In her book The Trauma Heart, internationally renown trauma therapist Judy Crane succinctly states that “Relapse is inevitable without trauma resolution.” Crane cites Dr. Gabor Mate who wrote about addiction relapse, “…research clearly shows that the biggest driver of addiction relapse and addictive behavior is actually stress.” Stress, of course, is a primary response to trauma and ongoing symptom of trauma as trauma impairs the functioning of the body and mind’s stress regulation systems.
Without the proper tools to regulate the stress of unresolved trauma, we are prone to be triggered and controlled by our reactions to life. Stress can come from anywhere in any form and trigger any memory of trauma. Unable to process and regulate the pain, we seek to alleviate the pain as thoroughly as possible. For each of us, that looks different. Our trauma manifests in different forms, like addiction, addictive behaviors, even personality or mood disorders.
Relapse could be in your future. Ultimately, it is in your control whether relapse is in your future or not. By sticking to a recovery lifestyle and dedicating yourself to the hard work of resolving trauma, you will exponentially reduce your risk of relapse.
Three Facts Of Relapse:
You have to understand the facts of relapse to understand the role relapse plays in the recovery process.
- Relapse is not a part of the recovery process. If you were to look at all of the things which might be included in the recovery process, relapse could make the list. Relapse is not one of the guaranteed things to happen, but it is something that can be part of recovery for many people.
- Relapse can be part of the recovery process. Unfortunately, the relapse rates for chemical addictions, addictive behaviors, and other manifestations of trauma are high. People find themselves unwilling to continue the work of trauma recovery. Eventually their trauma catches up with them and they revert to old coping mechanisms.
- Relapse does not have to be a part of the recovery process. You do not have to relapse to start over in recovery, to deal with trauma, or to survive. Staying sober and staying away from problematic behavior is no doubt difficult to do. It isn’t impossible. In recovery, anything is possible, including sustained recovery without relapse.
At The Guest House Ocala, we welcome everyone who has experienced trauma and, as a result, is suffering from addictions, mental health disorders, or other manifestations. Our programs are custom tailored to the specific experiences and needs of each client. Everyone has a story. Change yours today. Call us at Call 1-855-483-7800.