What to do after a relapse or lapse

First - take a breath

After a relapse, it’s normal to feel upset, guilty, worried, or angry with yourself. These feelings can be strong, but they don’t have to control what happens next.

Take a slow, steady breath. Feel your feet on the ground. Notice what’s happening in your body. Try to let the feelings be there, without fighting them.

You don’t need to fix everything right now. You only need to choose the next kind thing you can do for yourself. Acceptance means saying: “This happened. It hurts. But I can still move forward.”

You can start again at any moment.

Look after your body

Before you think about what happened, take care of yourself. Your body might need time to rest and recover. Try to:

• Drink water or juice to stay hydrated
• Eat something small, like soup, toast, or fruit
• Rest and sleep
• Avoid using drugs or drinking again to “feel better” - it often makes things harder later
• Get medical help if you feel very unwell (for example: shaking, sweating, sickness or confusion)
• Be kind to yourself. Your body has been through stress. Small acts of self care are a good first step back to recovery.

Ask for help

It’s up to you whether you tell someone about your relapse or not. You don’t have to share anything before you’re ready.

For some people, talking helps them feel lighter and more supported. For others, it might not feel safe right now - and that’s okay too.

If you do want to talk, try to choose someone safe and kind. This could be:

• A recovery worker, counsellor, or support worker
• A helpline if you’d like to stay private or talk right away
• Someone else in recovery who understands what it’s like
• A friend or family member who listens without judging

If it isn’t safe to talk about your relapse at home - or you’re not sure how someone might react - you can still get confidential help from us here at CDAS, a helpline, or a support group.

You get to choose when, where, and who you ask for help.

If you’re already in treatment

If you already get help from CDAS or another service, let your recovery worker know what’s happened. You won’t get into trouble. Relapse is something we plan for and can support you through.

We can help you:

• Talk about what led to the relapse
• Update your plan and find what might help next time
• Adjust your treatment or medication if needed
• Reconnect you with groups

We’re here to listen, not judge.

If you’re not in treatment

If you’re not in treatment, you can still reach out for help if you want to.

You could:

• Come along to our drop-in or contact us for free, friendly advice
• Speak to your GP
• Go to a local support group like AA, Smart Recovery, or NA
• Join online recovery spaces

Think about what happened

Relapse doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. It can happen when you feel stressed, lonely, angry, or tired. Try to think about what led up to it - not to blame yourself, but to understand what might help next time.

You might ask yourself:

• What was going on before I used drugs or drank?
• Were there any warning signs or triggers, like strong feelings or pressure from others?
• What has helped me cope before?

Knowing what happened can help you notice patterns early and plan ahead.

Make a plan

Think about what could help if things feel hard again.

• Write down your triggers (like stress, loneliness, or certain places)
• Keep a list of people or places that help you feel calm
• Plan what you’ll do if cravings come back
• Try to keep a simple daily routine

Learn from it

Every relapse can teach you something about yourself. Ask: What helped before? What could I do differently?

Instead of being hard on yourself, try to be curious. Recovery takes practice, and relapse doesn’t have to mean the end of the road. It is possible to get back on track and come back stronger.

Many people have relapsed and still build strong, lasting recovery.

At CDAS, we’re here to help you take the next step.

Get in touch