You completed a stay in an alcohol treatment center. You felt great, your life was back on track and then it happened. You drank again. You don’t have to go back to the alcohol recovery center if you don’t want to, but you might want to know a little more about this common situation.
Understanding Relapses
Relapses are common in recovery. Many addicts and alcoholics have to try more than once before they achieve lasting sobriety.
Do You Have to Go Back to an Alcohol Recovery Center If You Relapse?
You’re not required to go back to recovery if you relapse. If you don’t want to go back into treatment, nobody can force you to.
There are certain circumstances where your relapse might have legal consequences. Consult a lawyer if you fit the following situations.
- If you are on probation for an alcohol-related offense, you could be in violation of the terms of your probation. That could mean finishing your sentence in prison.
- If your family can demonstrate that your drinking is a danger to yourself and others, they can request an emergency court order to have you sent back to recovery against your will.
Your Best Bet is Returning to Treatment
Once you’ve relapsed, you might feel even more hopeless and desperate than you did before you got treatment for your alcoholism. You might feel overwhelmed by shame at your inability to stay sober. All the same, there are good reasons for getting yourself back to treatment as quickly as possible.
- At a treatment center, your relapse will be treated with compassion rather than judgment.
- You’ll stop the cycle before your life spirals out of control again.
- You’ll have a better sense of what your triggers for relapse are and how to prepare for them.
What Else Can You Try?
- Go to a hospital or a detox center and request a medical detox.
- Find a 12-step meeting that you can get to right away.
- If you have a sponsor, call them.
Get Help for Your Alcoholism
You may not like the idea of going back into recovery, but it’s the best way to turn around a relapse and get your life back on track. We can help. Call our counselors anytime at 833-610-1174.