So you completed the treatment program successfully and you say to yourself, “I got this.” And one night you run into a friend that you haven’t seen in a while.

And they ask you if you’d like to get high?

You think to yourself, “One hit won’t hurt. I got this.”

One thing leads to another, which leads to another. And the rest is history.

Well, when you finally come down from this high, you are beyond disappointed in yourself. You can’t believe you gave into temptation and one thing you learned in recovery was, you have to disassociate yourself from certain people. Those who still use, you can’t be in their company.

A relapse is one of the most frustrating experiences that you have to deal with in any recovery from any habit. And you will most likely feel guilty.

You’re going to feel ashamed, or you may even contemplate throwing in the towel.

Don’t do that! In other words, you may feel like giving up on your recovery.

Many of you go through addiction treatment programs, slip up at least once. And actually, some have numerous setbacks before reaching a full recovery. A relapse is not uncommon. If you relapse, here are some tips to help you get back on track.

You have to forgive yourself…

First of all, you have to forgive yourself. We are human and in every fight, we have to fight to keep ourselves going. And if you feel like you’re in the fight of your life and you’re losing, don’t give up, don’t give in, and don’t give out. You’ll probably feel ashamed and disappointed because of the progress that you had previously made. Prepare yourself for these types of feelings. Lots of feelings actually motivate you to get back on track. Don’t sit around and just have a pity party and feel sorry for yourself. Get up, get back on track and say to yourself, “You know what, I got this.” And just like you did when you completed the treatment program, remind yourself, I can get through this.

Contact someone to help you…

If you need to, contact someone to help you. If you’re in a treatment center or a recovery program, you would have a coach or a sponsor, or a counselor, someone should be available to you if you’re finding yourself in a crisis situation. You may have to schedule a face-to-face meeting. If you’re too embarrassed to meet with them face to face, make sure you call or email, or text them. It’s important to let them know that you are struggling.

Get more treatment…

Consider returning back to treatment if you need to. Just like every addiction story is different, so is the treatment. Some places offer aftercare services as part of their original treatment plan. Think of your relapse as a part of your treatment.

Don’t look at it as a setback, just think of it as a way to complete your recovery.

So remember here at Burning Love Outreach, we’re here to help you overcome your struggles. We speak out loud, so others don’t have to suffer in silence.

If you need additional help, please do not hesitate to reach out to Burning Love Outreach.

You can leave a comment below, submit a prayer request, or even share a testimony or a praise report with us.

Also, we would love to have you, partner, with us by donating to this outreach with either a one-time donation or become one of our monthly donors.