I have seen many, many people go through drug rehab treatment since I went through it myself in 1976.
I've helped many of them succeed in quitting drugs and go on to live full lives without the anchor of drug dependence around their necks.
I have also seen some fail and slip right back into the mud of drug addiction.
The reasons why some succeed and some fail are many, but nearly all of them wanted to stop using.
So what happened to those who didn't make it? It started with drug relapse.
Of course there are temptations to fall off the wagon, and there are places and persons to avoid during recovery.
But all of the recovered addicts had to face many of those situations-most successfully and some not so successfully.
This is the point in every addict's recovery at which things could go either way, either continue on the road to success and sobriety or dive back into the mud, face-first.
Drug relapse is a symptom that your recovery is not going according to plan.
But drug relapse is a lot more than a symptom, it is the beginning of what could be a complete failure.
It is also exceedingly dangerous.
Death from overdose of alcohol or other drugs can happen more easily after having been clean for a while because your built-up tolerance to poisonous substances has decreased.
The same dose that was the usual amount back when using regularly could now cause a dangerous or even fatal overdose.
But the main point is this.
A drug relapse or alcohol relapse is necessary if the person's recovery is going to fail.
There has to be a first slip, a first binge for there to be a second.
It isn't necessary to resist all the many possible times you will use in the future.
It is only necessary to resist the next one.
You won't return to an addicted life if you don't relapse.
When the urge to use comes over you, know that resisting it IS possible.
And after you resist this one, you'll have an easier time of it when the next urge to use drugs hits.
Also know that if you do surrender to the urge this time, the next urge is going to be that much harder to resist.
Facing your friends and all those who are counting on you and who love you will be extremely difficult if you've screwed up; but it will be a pleasure if you haven't.
There are some experts who state that relapse is inevitable.
That it is expected and that all recovering addicts will relapse once or twice or more! That is not true.
Although relapses are not uncommon, when they occur it means that something is missing and more preparation is needed to continue recovery SUCCESSFULLY.
Keep your eye on the goal and realize that a slip is more than just a wasted weekend.
You're setting yourself back quite a ways.
That same opportunity could set you ahead considerably in your recovery from drug addiction.
Your choice.