Slip vs. Relapse in Recovery: What’s the Difference?
- Aug 23, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 17
The path to addiction recovery is rarely a straight line. Many people in recovery will encounter obstacles like slips and relapses. Understanding the difference of slip vs relapse in recovery, and what steps to take after either occurs, is crucial for maintaining your progress and building a more effective recovery plan.
What is a slip in addiction recovery?
A slip, or lapse, is a single, unintentional instance of using a substance. It's often triggered by external factors and is typically accompanied by feelings of shame and a quick return to recovery efforts.
Learning to distinguish between a slip and a full-blown relapse is a vital part of the recovery journey. There's a lot more to understand about these concepts, including the signs of a potential relapse and what to do if one happens. Keep reading to learn more about navigating these challenges and staying on track.
Is There a Difference Between a Slip and a Relapse in Addiction Recovery?
Slips and relapses are constant obstacles during recovery from an addiction of any kind. No matter what substance or practice that someone is addicted to, there will be urges to revert back to addictive and destructive practices.
While someone should establish coping strategies to deal with these urges early on, there is always a chance that someone will experience a slip or relapse in their recovery. Even if this is the case, there is always a way to get back on track with recovery.
Understanding slips and relapses, and what to do when you relapse, can help each person set appropriate personal strategies for their recovery going forward.
Even if someone experiences a slip or relapse, that does not mean they are beyond recovery from their addiction. Rather, it can be an indicator that there needs to be a change or adjustment in someone’s recovery plan. Knowing the slip vs relapse recovery difference and the steps to take after a lapse or relapse can help each person create a new and more effective plan for the future.
What Does It Mean to Have a Slip?
Slips, or “lapses,” are often single-time occurrences that happen unintentionally, and without a pattern. They are the case where someone re-engages with an addictive substance due to external reasons, such as having a glass of wine at a wedding.
They often involve environmental factors that unintentionally put someone in a high-risk situation. While someone recovering from an addiction to alcohol may take a sip of wine, or have a beer at a gathering where they were not expecting alcohol to be present, these slips are often accompanied by a great deal of shame or guilt about their actions.
During a slip, someone may put the drink back down quickly and find a way to ground themselves in their situation or contact one of their support systems. Slips can be used as a learning experience, showing each person how quickly that addiction can try to regain control of their lives and express the importance of the skills that are being instilled during therapy.
Experiencing a slip or lapse doesn’t mean that it will necessarily develop into a relapse, though it is possible if the person doesn’t address the situation quickly with their support system and professionals. During a slip, recovery is still the priority, and a person may feel a great deal of shame because of the pride and effort they are still putting into their recovery journey.
What is the Difference of Slip vs Relapse in Recovery?
Signs of Relapse
There are a few different signals that someone may be experiencing a relapse, or if they are in danger of relapsing if left unaddressed. What happens when you relapse can vary from person to person, but there are some common signs to watch for. Cravings will seem to increase, and there may be a new friend or social group that someone is spending more and more time with.
Relapses can also involve a romanticization of the past, and a longing for things to return to the way they were before the difficulties of recovery began. Someone may also become more isolated, reclusive and uninterested in their hobbies or previous interests, or be unwilling to use established outlets. Relapses can also set in from overconfidence in someone’s recovery, causing them to become complacent and thus less prepared to deal with these increasing urges in each moment.
Knowing what to do when you relapse will be up to the strategies instilled by a professional and loving support system, but there will almost always be a look back at someone’s immediate grounding techniques, environment and potential triggers, and the establishment of a new approach or therapeutic practice to recovery.
So Someone Slipped Up — Now What?
Addressing a slip needs to be done directly. It is important to acknowledge that it happened, and not cower behind the guise of shame. Confronting the event directly and addressing the slip is the best way to ensure that it doesn’t continue to develop into a relapse. Slips are common and are not indicative of a failure in any way. They are unintentional, and having a lapse in the moment doesn’t mean that someone has to restart their recovery.
After a slip, someone can typically return to the same stage they were already attending in recovery, and address the various elements that led to the slip, such as environment and the people present, or potential unforeseen triggers that may have been involved.
However, slips can also prove to be a motivational tool, as someone can identify the techniques they used successfully to then be able to back off from a previous addiction and take pride in their ability to quickly regain their agency over addiction.
What to Do When You Relapse
What Drug Has the Highest Rate of Relapse?
Relapse can be more intense or probable, depending on the person and their unique situation and environment. While heroin is widely regarded as the most addictive drug, it also has one of the highest rates of relapse. However, that doesn’t mean that other drugs or alcohol are not just as dangerous when it comes to the threat of relapse.
Relapse is something that can happen with any kind of addiction, and regardless of the addiction, it is important to have a relapse prevention strategy in place early on in recovery in order to effectively cope with the urges that may be present through the recovery process and beyond.
Recovery from addiction is a life-long battle that will require various coping strategies and tweaks to the recovery model to adapt to the person’s constantly changing life. However, slips and relapses don’t mean there is no hope for recovery. There is always a way to recover, even if it takes a couple of tries. There are always new developments, and each person has the ability to live a sober life with the right treatment, coping mechanisms, and therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
• What does it mean to have a slip?
A slip is a single, unintentional instance of using a substance, often triggered by
environmental factors, and is not part of a pattern.
• What are some signs of a relapse?
Signs of a relapse can include increased cravings, spending time with a new social group, romanticizing the past, or becoming more isolated and uninterested in hobbies.
• Does a slip mean I have to restart my recovery?
No, a slip does not mean you have to restart your recovery. Instead, it can be a learning experience that helps you identify potential triggers and adjust your plan.
• What is the drug with the highest rate of relapse?
Heroin is widely considered to have one of the highest rates of relapse.
• Is recovery still possible after a relapse?
Yes, recovery is always possible, even after a relapse. A relapse can indicate a need to change or adjust your recovery plan.
Navigating the challenges of recovery is a journey we understand deeply. At Chateau Health and Wellness Treatment Center, we believe that slips and relapses are not failures, but rather opportunities to strengthen your recovery plan. We are here to help you through every step, offering the support and expert guidance you need to get back on track. Our team is committed to working with you to create a personalized strategy that builds resilience and promotes lasting wellness. If you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to us today at (435) 222-5225. Together, we can find a path to a healthier future.
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About The Author
Ben Pearson, LCSW - Clinical Director
With 19 years of experience, Ben Pearson specializes in adolescent and family therapy, de-escalation, and high-risk interventions. As a former Clinical Director of an intensive outpatient program, he played a key role in clinical interventions and group therapy. With 15+ years in wilderness treatment and over a decade as a clinician, Ben has helped countless individuals and families navigate mental health and recovery challenges.
Danny Warner, CEO of Chateau Health and Wellness
Brings a wealth of experience in business operations, strategic alliances, and turnaround management, with prior leadership roles at Mediconnect Global, Klever Marketing, and WO Investing, Inc. A graduate of Brigham Young University in Economics and History, Danny has a proven track record of delivering results across diverse industries. His most transformative role, however, was as a trail walker and counselor for troubled teens at the Anasazi Foundation, where he directly impacted young lives, a personal commitment to transformation that now drives his leadership at Chateau.
Austin Pederson, Executive Director of Chateau Health and Wellness
Brings over eight years of experience revolutionizing mental health and substance abuse treatment through compassionate care and innovative business strategies. Inspired by his own recovery journey, Austin has developed impactful programs tailored to individuals facing trauma and stress while fostering comprehensive support systems that prioritize holistic wellness. His empathetic leadership extends to educating and assisting families, ensuring lasting recovery for clients and their loved ones.
