Relapse in most cases is not self-inflicted. Relapse-prone patients experience a gradual progression of symptoms that create so much pain that they become unable to function in sobriety.

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DOES RELAPSE MEAN TREATMENT FAILURE?
thesoberworld.com/2017/12/01/does-relapse-mean-treatment-failure
Relapse in most cases is not self-inflicted. Relapse-prone patients experience a gradual
progression of symptoms that create so much pain that they become unable to function in
sobriety. They turn to addictive use to self-medicate the pain. These patients can learn to
stay sober by recognizing these symptoms as relapse warning signs, identifying the self-
defeating thoughts, feelings, and actions they use to cope with them, and learning more
effective coping responses. Unfortunately, most relapse-prone patients never receive
relapse prevention therapy; either because treatment centers don’t provide it or their
insurance or behavioral health provider won’t fund it.
Relapse is not necessarily a sign of treatment failure. Between one half and two-thirds of
all patients treated will relapse, but at least one half of all relapsers will find long term
recovery. The belief that relapse means that treatment failed ignores the fact that, for
many patients, recovery involves a series of relapse episodes. Each relapse, if properly
dealt with in treatment, can become a learning experience which makes the patient less
likely to relapse in the future.
Chemically dependent/addicted people can be divided into three groups based upon their
recovery and relapse history. One third of all patients are recovery prone and maintain
total abstinence from their first serious attempt. Another third are transitionally relapse
prone and have a series of short-term and low consequence relapse episodes prior to

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finding long-term abstinence. The final third, the most difficult patients to treat, are the
chronically relapse-prone patients who can’t find long-term sobriety no matter what they
do.
Recovery-prone patients tend to be addicted to a single drug, have higher levels of social
and economic stability, and do not have dual diagnosis or serious coexisting problems.
They are what are often referred to as “garden variety addicts” who have uncomplicated
addictions.
Transitionally relapse-prone patients tend to have more severe addictions that are
complicated by other problems. They have the capacity, however, to learn from each
relapse episode and take steps to alter or modify their recovery programs to avoid future
relapses.
Chronically relapse-prone patients tend to have severe addictions complicated by serious
dual diagnosis. Most chronic relapsers have either: severe post-acute withdrawal caused
by the effects of chronic alcohol and drug poisoning to the brain, a coexisting personality
or mental disorder, or a serious coexisting physical illness. Many fail to recover because
these coexisting conditions are not properly diagnosed and treated.
Even chronically relapse-prone patients are not hopeless. In 1988, I had dinner with over
sixty skid row alcoholics who had completed a relapse prevention program at Alexandria
Regional Detox Center. These people were previously labeled as hopeless and given short
term revolving door non-medical detox. All were sober for over six months after
participating in weekly outpatient relapse prevention groups coupled with twelve step
programs. All of these people wanted to stay sober. Prior to relapse prevention therapy,
they did not know how. Once they learned effective strategies for identifying and
managing relapse warning signs, they were able to stay sober in spite of the other serious
problems they experienced.
Terence T. Gorski is an internationally recognized expert on substance abuse, mental
health, violence, and crime. He is a prolific author and has published numerous books
and articles. Recovery books, tapes and resources authored by Terry Gorski
are available through Herald House Independence Press, 1-800-767-8181 or
www.relapse.org. To learn effective relapse prevention strategies and techniques
attend the Relapse Prevention Therapy Certification School April 16-20, 2018.