Dear Person Who Recently Relapsed,

Firs and foremos: You’re awesome! No, really, you are. I don’ know you, so I can’ ell you exacly why—bu I know ha somehing abou you makes you awesome, even if you don’ see i. Whaever i is, here’sa leas one hing abou you ha makes you unique and awesome. And ha hing is stll as rue andimporan as i was before you relapsed. And, neiher alcohol nor drugs can ake ha away.Now, le’s alk abou he reason you’re here. You relapsed. You migh have had years of abstnence fromyour drug of choice under your bel, or you migh have had jus a couple monhs, or weeks. Addicton is areal medical conditon, and i’s a nooriously dicul one o comba. And, our culure boh stgmatzesand underreas addicton. So i’s legitmae o feel proud of any amoun of recovery tme you haveaccomplished. The ip side of ha is, of course, ha relapsing is probably going o make you feel like crap.Bu i doesn’ have o.Dr. Sephen Taylor, a Medical Direcor for he NBA, advises ha, “

even if you know you consciously madea choice that you knew beer than to make, boom line is that you make a mistake and then get pastthat. Move forward. Learn what you did right, and what mistakes you made leading up to your relapse.That’s valuable me; you don’t throw that away 

.”

The me before your relapse was valuable. Your relapse doesn’t erase it.

 You can absoluely learn fromha tme. Wha did you do righ? Wha kep you sober? And wha failed you when you relapsed? Whapar of your suppor sysem needs srenghening? Whaever drove your relapse can now be a learningexperience. I happened, i sucks… now use i as a ool o make sure i doesn’ happen again.Did you ge complacen? Did you sop going o meetngs or working he seps? Try nding a recoverybuddy—a sponsor, if you’re doing he 12-seps, or jus someone else wih an addicton hisory if you’reno—who can help keep you motvaed and accounable.Did you ge anxious or depressed and decide? You may need o ramp up your herapy sessions, orconsider medicaton reamen for your conditon.Did you ge sraigh-up bored? Tha is a legitmae concern for people whose brains are recovering fromchemically-induced pleasure dumps and wihdrawal. I’s crucial ha you nd actvites o ll your tme.The more you diversify, he beer your chances of no relapsing. Pu ogeher an exercise routne, sar areading lis, pick up a new class or hobby, make social daes, and nd a new favorie show on Nelix. Thefuller your life is, he less space here is for drug and alcohol use. Finding an actviy ha provides meaningo your life is also incredibly helpful. I could be voluneering a a homeless sheler or a syringe exchangeprogram, or helping a a 12-sep group.Your recovery doesn’ have o end because of a relapse. Your value is no dened by your drug and alcoholuse. You are a human being who deserves love, care, and respec. A friend once said his o me and nowI’m passing i o you: ake a break from being srong if need be, for as long as you need—bu remember oge back up and keep ghtng when you’re ready. You deserve a life you love.

– Elizabeth Brico.