Why Does Drug Rehabilitation Have a High Failure Rate and Relapse Problem

It can be depressing to try to make efforts to stop one’s drug addiction and then fall back into it.  However, addiction to drugs is a challenging area and one needs to not get in a state of hopelessness of a loved one has relapsed. Whitney Houston’s recent interview on Oprah showed her ability to recover from a difficult period of addiction.

The problem with drug rehab not working is often due to an inability to cope with unresolved problems that happened in the past as well as insufficient ways to deal with present day living situations that arise. Recently I saw a client who mentioned that with marijuana he finds he can not be impatient, angry and agitated. Yet, how much more effective it will be when he can learn how to cope with difficult people and situations that are out of our control. We don’t usually learn these skills in school but it is part of something that is practiced in psychotherapy as well as in meditation classes.

Even if you don’t see a therapist, if you have a drug addiction ongoing problem, try to get a notebook to write down what ticks you off and puts you into a state of irritation. Sometimes it can be something innocuous such as a friend being late or a person being too slow on the highway. When you notice this happening, try to really think about the other person before you react. What is their situation and can there be things going on in their lives that are also stressful?

Do you want to lose your state of peace each day and fall into the cycle of frustration, anger and guilt over and over again? Where do you want to be in three years? Certain drugs do have a physical aspect to the addiction and dealing with opiates and benzos often require an inpatient facility to perform the detox. The psychological part of the addiction requires a strong commitment to keep up the change, not slide back to former patterns and continuing with a support group as well as counseling to deal with the stressors before they build up.