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The Most Common Causes of Alcoholism Relapse

a person holds their head in pain

Almost 86% of people aged 18 and older state they have drunk alcohol at least once in their life. This makes alcohol a common consumption, yet not many people know how an alcoholism diagnosis can affect your entire life.

During the holidays or special events, drinking is a standard activity. Social drinking allows people to loosen up and enjoy their time. However, a few drinks can turn into too many; you might develop an addiction to alcohol, which has no easy recovery without proper support.

Do you or a loved one struggle with alcoholism? Are you wondering what are the causes of alcoholism relapse as you start your recovery journey? It’s no walk in the park, but we can show you the common reasons why people relapse. Continue reading so you can learn how to avoid these causes of relapse. 

What Is Alcoholism?

If you enjoy alcohol as a social activity, don’t automatically assume you have alcoholism. Alcoholism is a form of severe alcohol abuse that affects your everyday life. Symptoms of alcohol abuse include prioritizing alcohol over work or schooling, having nonstop cravings, and behaving erratically when drunk.

Alcoholism develops in people who typically use substances to mend their emotions. For instance, one might cope with a loss through alcohol dependence. This can lead to a lifelong addiction if this person doesn’t get professional help.

The effects of alcohol abuse range from mild to severe, depending on how long the individual has consumed alcohol. Slow focus and coordination are given effects. Other health consequences are liver disease, bone loss, heart problems, and increased risk of cancer. 

What Is Alcoholism Relapse?

A relapse occurs when a person’s health declines after initial improvement. Alcoholism relapse is when you or a loved one consumes alcohol once again after stopping for some time. It has severe health consequences, physical and mental.

Common Reasons for Alcoholism Relapse

Alcohol dependence can develop at any age. You must act quickly if you find yourself struggling with addiction. As the recovery process starts, keep in mind these common reasons for alcoholism relapse.

1. Withdrawal Symptoms 

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are very severe in some cases. Alcohol is depressive, meaning it slows down brain function. Your body adjusts to this effect and works harder to keep you awake. Once you detox from alcohol, your body is still in this heightened state, resulting in mild to extreme symptoms.

Depending on how long you’ve withdrawn, symptoms can vary. The most severe effects of alcohol withdrawal are delusion, hallucination, and seizures. 

2. Social Conflicts

Relationship, friendship, or familial conflict can result in a person abusing alcohol. This is especially true for people who struggle with social anxiety or have childhood trauma preventing them from moving forward mentally. 

3. Emotional Turmoil

When life starts getting stressful, people are pulled toward substances to help them. Negative emotions are the most prevalent cause of alcoholism relapse. Emotions such as depression, anger, or even happiness result in alcohol abuse.

Alcohol suppresses our emotions due to slow brain function. That’s why relapse is the number one concern for people who struggle with mental health. 

4. Triggering Places

Being in places such as a club, bar, or even the dinner table during the holiday can trigger a person to relapse. Physical places emit feelings of nostalgia, which can cause a person struggling with alcohol to remember their previous life. 

To avoid this, learn what places are positive for you. Just as you have negative spaces, you have places that help you or a loved one to keep moving forward in their journey. This can be as simple as one’s favorite cafe or gym.

5. Lack of Self-Care

Detoxing from alcohol already puts your body through a wide range of pain. You must take care of yourself, mentally and physically to ensure you’re improving.

A person isn’t automatically cured just because they stopped drinking alcohol for a day. Healing includes grooming yourself, cleaning your safe spaces, interacting with friends, and understanding your mental state. Set aside time weekly to self-reflect and nurture your body. 

6. Not Asking For Help

It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a community to help a person in mental need. You should never go through your journey alone. To prevent this, look into alcohol treatment centers to provide enriching social interactions.

For instance, Apex Recovery Rehab is a San Diego alcohol rehabilitation center. We don’t accept Medi-Cal at this time but do accept self-pay options. Apex has inpatient/outpatient programs and is one of the best rehab centers in San Diego. It offers mental, physical, and medical help to all its patients. 

Alcohol relapse is scary to go through alone. Research a premier detox program like Apex so you have a community to talk to when things get too overwhelming.

What Should You Do if You Relapse?

Recovering from a relapse is disheartening. You feel guilty for not staying strong. You must know that this is a part of the journey. Addiction is difficult to navigate, and you should be proud that you keep trying even though relapse does occur. 

Remember these top three lessons as you adjust to detoxing from alcohol.

  • Don’t be hard on yourself: Many people have the same struggles, so you aren’t alone. Learn from your mistakes and continue improving your life!
  • Talking to a friend: Don’t keep your emotions bottled inside. Get in touch with a therapist or, if you live in California, San Diego rehab centers 
  • Continue trying: Don’t ever give up! Never stop fighting because of one lost battle

Find a Community in Places Like Apex Recovery 

Alcoholism relapse hurts when you’ve detoxed from alcohol for months or even years. But every experience is a lesson, and it’s time you come back fighting harder than before. Get into a community like Apex Recovery Rehab so you have people cheering you on!

Do you or a loved one struggle with substance addiction? Fill out our confidential contact form so we can lead you down a path to sobriety.

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