Does Relapse Mean a Failed Recovery?

Those who have just finished a treatment program will have to deal with a new way of living life. Oftentimes, many people think that if they relapse, their recovery has failed.

However, this could not be farther from the truth. Relapse is not the end of recovery for those who fail to stay clean. On the contrary, those recovering from long term substance abuse oftentimes relapse. After all, the feat that they are taking on is littered with its fair share of challenges.

While relapse is still a major event that happens to many former addicts, halfway houses in South Florida know that it is not the end of the journey. In fact, it may just be the beginning.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the relapse rate for people who have completed a substance abuse treatment program is about the same as patients who have received medical care for conditions such as Type 1 diabetes and hypertension. When a patient needs follow-up care for high blood pressure, they receive an immense amount of support. But, when a former addict relapses back into substance abuse, the act is not seen as a medical event, but rather as a poor decision that was made.

Because of the disconnect between recognizing that relapse is not always a choice and is instead, a by-product of a medical condition, many people who relapse do not feel welcome returning to treatment centers in South Florida. For this very reason, Awakenings for Women, a halfway house in Florida, wants those who are on the recovery journey to know that regardless of whether or not they have relapsed, our Boca Raton sober living home wants to help you through your recovery journey.