What Are the Signs a Loved One Has Relapsed?

If you have a loved one who has a history of addiction, one of the ways that you can support them is by learning to recognize the signs a loved one has relapsed. Knowing these signs can help you pay attention to red flags that might indicate the need for additional help and offer support.

Top Signs a Loved One Has Relapsed

Between 40 and 60 percent of people who struggle with addiction will relapse at some point, and many of them do so within the first year of treatment. So, what are the signs a loved one has relapsed?

#1: No More Participation

One of the most prominent signs is when an individual no longer participates in recovery programs. It’s very common for people to transition from inpatient or outpatient treatment to a level of outpatient treatment that involves weekly support group meetings. 

There might be other support groups they attend, such as NA or AA programs, where they also have a sponsor.

If your loved one has stopped attending their meetings, isn’t communicating with a sponsor or sober companion, and isn’t participating in alumni or aftercare programs, this could be a sign that they have relapsed.

#2: Old Habits and Old Ways

At the same time, if you have noticed that your loved one is suddenly returning to old habits and old ways, it may not be long before they relapse. It may have already happened.

For example:

Alex is from Chesterfield. He had a difficult childhood there and fell into drug use. After Alex decided to get help, he moved away from Chesterfield, starting over in Newfield.

After treatment, Alex moved in with his sister in Newfield. At first she participated in his support groups with him. Later she started driving him to his support groups but he told her that she could wait across the street.

A few weeks after that, his sister offered to drive him, but he said he wasn’t going. Instead, he wanted her to drive him to the train station. Assuming that he was taking the train into town as part of his job search, his sister happily complied. Later, she learned that Alex had returned to Chesterfield. He had taken the train there and told her not to worry. But then he never came home.

His sister was very worried that he was hanging out with his old friends, falling into old habits, and doing so in the place that was the riskiest for him to relapse.

#3: Withdrawal

In terms of signs a loved one has relapsed, withdrawal applies to an emotional withdrawal. If someone like Alex is normally talkative and social at home but suddenly withdraws, doesn’t want to go out anymore, and becomes distant with his sister, choosing to lock himself in his room all day, it could be a precursor to or a sign of relapse.

#4: Emotional Swings

Similarly, some of the top signs that a loved one has relapsed is when they experience emotional mood swings like strong irritability, being quick to anger, and, more importantly, quick to denial.

Consider this:

Alex is walking down the stairs and his sister asks where he is going. Alex immediately gets angry with her for butting into his business, starts denying that he has done anything wrong telling her that he isn’t using drugs and that she shouldn’t assume that and becoming very defensive.

In this example, Alex’s sister didn’t mention drugs, didn’t point a finger, and didn’t place blame. In fact, the only thing she did was ask him where he was going out of curiosity. But Alex was quick to anger, irritability, and denial because he had something to hide.

Getting Help for a Loved One with Ritual Recovery

Relapse is considered a standard part of the addiction process for many people. If your loved one has relapsed, consider it an opportunity to learn from mistakes and find a new form of treatment that might provide a wider array of services and support. 

With Ritual Recovery, your loved one can tackle their relapse with partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs. We work hard to ensure you can schedule programs at our comfortable facilities without having to compromise your schedule. 

With a relapse, your loved one likely requires support but not full-time care. That is where our PHP and IOP options can be of most use. Our outpatient drug rehab in Asheville can help. 

Overall, if you recognize the signs that a loved one has relapsed, find ways to encourage them to seek help. A flexible outpatient program like our PHP or IOP can provide care at our upscale facility without interfering with other professional or personal obligations. 

Contact our team today to learn more about our outpatient rehab programs.