You are three months out of a faith-based drug rehab, and everything feels great. You are hitting every recovery milestone, attending your men’s or women’s addiction support group weekly, and rebuilding broken relationships.
Then, out of nowhere, an old trigger surfaces and relapse hits you like a rogue wave. Relapse brings a slew of negative feelings, such as embarrassment, defeat, or shame. You might believe that this slip-up has ruined everything you’ve worked so hard for.
In those low moments, faith is what reminds you that your hard days don’t define your recovery journey. Relapse does not erase the work you’ve done. Faith helps you understand that although there are areas of your recovery that need extra help, you don’t have to drown in shame.
The Difference Between Guilt and Shame
For some individuals, relapse feels the same as moral failure. After a misstep, you may feel like you disappointed God and decide to isolate yourself. That happens when shame rules your life. But when you view relapse through a lens of faith, you can separate feelings of guilt and shame.
Even though guilt isn’t a fun feeling, it is very different from shame. Guilt leads you to repentance and change. It is motivational and forward-thinking. Shame not only tells you that you did something wrong, but also that you, yourself, are bad. Shame prevents you from moving forward and dumps you back into your old addictive cycles.
When you understand the difference and lean away from shame, you can face relapse without letting it define who you are. You can tell the truth about your recovery, take responsibility for your choices, and still believe God is with you. Faith supports that balance.
Grace
After a relapse, you may feel like you have to earn your way back into God’s good graces. But it isn’t that way. God extends grace freely to all His children who willingly seek Him. You don’t have to earn God’s love. Just as Jesus communed with the imperfect, the sinners, and the afflicted, God welcomes all to come unto Him.
Bring your relapse to God. Ask Him for help with an open heart and mind. As you do this, humility and peace will calm the spirals of shame and temptation.
Prayer
When you relapse, your thoughts can become loud and chaotic. The voice of your addiction is trying to wedge itself back into your psyche. We don’t have to tell you how scary it can be to hear that voice again.
Prayer is an excellent tool to calm your troubled mind. It creates a time and space for you to slow down and express yourself. Your prayer doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Even something as simple as “I am really struggling right now and need help” is a way to reach out for connection. No matter how far you may feel, God is within reach. He hears you and sees you.
Prayer also serves as a form of reflection. During your prayers, you may notice what led to the relapse originally, whether that be isolation, exhaustion, conflict, or stress. This awareness provides information you can use to improve your recovery.
Scripture Study
No matter how your recovery was going, relapse flips everything on its head and makes it feel like you are back to square one. The scriptures help you withstand the turmoil of relapse. The main narrative of the scriptures is second chances. God specializes in creating beauty from ashes. Time and time again, the scriptures remind you that even those who seem broken can ultimately find healing.
You are not too far gone. When you read the scriptures after a relapse, focus on passages that reflect your story. Let them give you hope and momentum. God will help you as you diligently seek Him and study His word.
Faith-Based Community
Faith-based communities meet together often, whether after church, during a weekly activity, or for fellowship. Why does this matter for someone in recovery? Addictions grow in isolation, and a person experiencing relapse will want nothing more than to withdraw.
Having an established community will prevent that from happening. They will center you and provide you with the support and accountability you need to get back on your feet. And even though the community members cannot bear your burdens for you, they can make them lighter.
How to Begin Again
After a relapse, the only way to continue your recovery journey is to dust yourself off and try again. Faith gives you the strength and tools to do so.
Here are a few steps that can help you restart your recovery:
- Recommit to a schedule: Try to go to sleep at the same time each night, eat meals at regular intervals, attend meetings consistently, and schedule check-ins with peers and mentors.
- Make time for God: Make time for regular connection with God in your schedule. Pray morning and night. Read your scriptures before you leave the house for work or on your lunch break, even if it’s for just a few minutes a day. Go to church on Sunday. When you plan in advance to spend time with God, you remove the friction that could keep you from committing.
- Remove triggers: Relapse is often triggered by external factors. Cut out anything that might lead you to abuse substances. That might mean keeping your distance from certain friends and environments.
- Strengthen support: Stay connected to others to stay accountable. You’ll likely want to retreat from your recovery community after a slip-up, but that’s the time to lean into their support.
Look Forward
Relapse is painful, but it can help you learn what you need to avoid and where to strengthen your recovery plan. That information only benefits your recovery in the long run.
Above all, having a faith-based mindset will give you the courage to persevere through any setbacks you encounter. Even if you feel behind or like you are progressing slower than you’d like, with faith, you are always moving forward. Relapse is not the end of your story. You can begin again today and build a life of renewed hope.
For additional support, ask about our inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment for women and men.
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Infographic
Relapse can bring feelings of shame and discouragement, making it seem as though all progress is lost. Faith offers stability by reminding you that a setback doesn’t define you or erase your recovery efforts. Explore this infographic to see how faith supports addiction recovery.
