Post 14

Relapse: A Realistic Look

Relapse = an opportunity to work harder.

Any change is possible IF one puts their heart into it.

An interesting article from Focus, the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling newsletter, discusses relapse in the context of recovery. It caught my eye because I had recently spoken with a person about the potential of relapse. He had been successfully abstaining from a certain dysfunctional coping behavior over the past few months. Then, out of the clear blue one day, he said to me, "Janet, now, don't be disappointed if sometime, now or in the coming months, I slip and have a relapse by ...."

We then moved into a conversation about what, truly, is relapse. I asked, "Do you see relapsing as committing a planned action ... and then, getting back on the wagon, as an entire event of (planned) relapse?" OR I asked again, "Do you understand relapse as an unplanned break from sobriety and then, a deliberate move back to abstinence and return to your program of recovery?" In other words, one event is planned up front (i.e., a planned break) and the other is an unplanned break with a purposeful return to recovery work.

Needless to say, our conversation continued and clarity on the topic of relapse was achieved.

Bulleted below are key thoughts to keep in mind about relapse and recovery:

• triggers to relapse can take the form of just about anything: persons (actions, words, facial expressions), places, things, even smells, etc.
• if relapse occurs, it should serve as an opportunity to work harder on one's recovery program
• relapse provides a reason to figure out what did NOT work
• relapse is a sure signal to renew commitment to change and purposeful recovery work
• episodes of relapse should not hinder efforts for family members to maintain control of their own lives
• recovery requires long-term change
• having recovery plans in place - with continued practice - serves as an antidote to relapse
• recovery = thinking about one's life differently!

Relapse certainly may occur - and be part of the process of recovery. The essential piece to remember is that process indicates and calls for ongoing movement toward and within recovery!

For more information on problem gambling and recovery issues, visit http://www.grmumc.org/

Rev. Janet Jacobs

Director, Gambling Recovery Ministries