Relapse Isn’t Failure: How Addiction Therapy Can Help You Bounce Back
If you’ve been working hard on recovery, but slipped, know that you’re not alone.
Relapse is common in addiction, and it’s part of why addiction can be a complex issue to treat (Guenzel). But instead of seeing relapse as a failure, I’d like to offer a shift in perspective.
What if relapse was just part of the recovery process?
Hi, I’m Michele Ross LCSW, an addiction therapist in Los Angeles. I have over 25 years of experience as a therapist, including serving as Clinical Director at an addiction treatment center.
Relapse as a Signal for Adjustment
While relapse might seem like a switch going off – one minute you’re in recovery, the next you’re struggling with a harmful behavior again – it’s actually something that occurs over time.
As outlined in this article published in the Yale Journal of Biological Medicine, there are early signs of a relapse that can be recognized and treated in therapy.
These signs can look like:
Emotional distress: “I’m feeling overwhelmed and sad, this will help me feel better.”
Cognitive struggles: “I’ve worked so hard; I deserve a break like this.”
Mood shifts: “Nobody understands me right now; I might as well give in.”
Habit shifts: “This is the way I take care of myself when things get hard.”
Recovery isn’t linear.
Many people imagine recovery as a straight path from addiction to full abstinence. In reality, it’s often a non-linear journey with progress, plateaus, and sometimes setbacks.
Newer research on addiction treatment shows that long-term recovery is more about resilience and learning from challenges rather than achieving perfection.
A parallel framework is often understood with chronic medical conditions. External influences can trigger a flare-up.
But that doesn’t mean that the person experiencing the illness isn’t benefiting from their overall treatment (NIH).
Instead, the treatment plan needs to adjust. This might look like medication changes, lifestyle modifications, or added support.
The same applies to addiction recovery. Deeper skill-buildings, more targeted relapse-prevention work, or adjustments in structure and support can help prevent more setbacks.
It’s important to remember that addiction is also a disease. Many scientific organizations, such as the American Medical Association, classify it as such (Indiana University Health).
Evidence-based Therapy: How it Helps Addiction
Mental health therapy helps you to understand your triggers and needs, and can support you with modifying your treatment when you find yourself struggling to stay in recovery.
Methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy and EMDR have been clinically shown to improve recovery over the long term.
A research review of psychotherapeutic interventions and substance use disorders found that EMDR helps to improve impulse control and stress-responses.
Relapse and other set-backs are never reasons to stop therapy. Instead, they help you and your therapist to refine your plan, strengthen your support system, and learn more about your triggers and environmental needs.
Addiction Therapist in Los Angeles
As an addiction therapist, my goal is not to judge your setbacks. Instead, I’ll help you understand them, adjust your treatment, and build a recovery plan that fits your life.
If you’ve recently had a set-back and are looking for support, I welcome you to reach out to connect with me. You won’t have to share everything all at once. The first step is simply a brief phone call to learn if my approach fits your needs.
Further Resources About Addiction Therapy
Can Therapy Help Me Overcome Addiction?
