How Do You Avoid Relapsing?
Maintaining sobriety is a constant, ongoing struggle. Addicts have to face the reality that relapsing is not only possible, it’s statistically probable. Nic Sheff, the 26-year-old writer of Tweak is a recovering crystal meth, marijuana and alcohol addict, and represents the large number of young adult drug users who battle with their urge to use every day.
In a recent CNN profile, Nic confessed how life’s misfortunes and missteps have led him to revisit his drug-riddled past. “I am isolated, alone, disgusted with everything and, most especially, myself. I am filled to overflowing with pain and torment and weight,” said Nic, describing how he fell back into drugs after a bad break-up and a manic episode. 
Unlike general belief, a relapse isn’t spurred simply by a lack of willpower or ability to deal with personal crises. When an addict returns to using, a complex mental and chemical reaction is at work. A relapse refers to a failure or breakdown in a person’s ability to continue or follow through with a change in any set of behaviors — most commonly, alcohol and drug abuse. Often times, a relapse is underlined by a user’s complete lack of control over their behavioral response to situations; they will take more than they want to take, and cannot stop no matter how intensely they want to.
Edythe London, a neurobiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles asserts that an addict’s neurological system is different than a non-addict. Feelings like helplessness, lack of control and loss of inhibitions can be linked to the circuitry of the brain. “Some of the most profound changes, for example in the dopamine system, can take years to resolve completely,” she says.
Although relapse is a common occurrence for many addicts, there still is hope. Cognitive and behavioral therapies can teach a person how to deal with pressures and stressful situations in a healthier manner. Gatehouse’s extended care treatment program instills in residents basic life skills and coping mechanisms; the long-term care increases the chances that an addict will remain sober for the long-run.
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