{"id":1097,"date":"2021-07-21T18:02:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T22:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.therecoveryvillage.com\/?page_id=1097"},"modified":"2022-07-28T16:28:18","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T20:28:18","slug":"alcohol-relapse-statistics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.therecoveryvillage.com\/alcohol-abuse\/alcohol-relapse-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Alcohol Relapse Rates & Statistics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Relapse is a common stumbling block during the recovery process and does not mean that you should give up on becoming sober.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Article at a Glance:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol relapse occurs in almost one-third of recovering alcoholics during their first year of sobriety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different types of relapses exist, including short-term slips, lapses and longer-term relapses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relapse is a common stumbling block during the recovery process and does not mean that you should give up on becoming sober.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

70% of individuals struggling with alcoholism will relapse at some point, however, relapse rates decline the longer someone stays sober.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The percentage of alcoholics who recover and stay sober is about 35.9 percent, or about one-third, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol Relapse Statistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Having a substance abuse disorder like alcohol use disorder<\/a> or alcoholism<\/a> means that you have a chronic health condition, much like diabetes or high blood pressure. As such, alcoholism is never truly cured but is instead managed. It usually requires professional treatment for people to become sober. People then must maintain their sobriety over the years by participating in aftercare and supportive programs, such as 12-step groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you are an alcoholic and have achieved sobriety, you are in recovery. However, it takes work to stay in recovery, and even the hardest-working person can experience slips, lapses and relapses during the alcohol recovery process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Percentage of Alcoholics Relapse?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Over 30%<\/a> of people who attempt to stop drinking relapse in their first year of sobriety. However, while the first years can be the hardest, the relapse rate does go down over time<\/a>: in one study, 21.4% of recovering alcoholics relapsed in their second year in recovery, but only 9.6% relapsed in years three through five, and only 7.2% relapsed after five years in recovery. This means, more than 70% of people struggling with alcohol abuse will relapse at some point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Percentage of Alcoholics Recover and Stay Sober?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The longer an alcoholic stays sober, the better their chances are for long-term sobriety. Overall, among people sober for five years, the chances of relapsing are less than 15%, according to Psychology Today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is important to realize that the threat of alcohol relapse is always present. For this reason, a recovering alcoholic should stay involved in aftercare options like Alcoholics Anonymous to stay focused on sobriety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related:<\/strong> Demystifying the Truth about Alcohol and Drug Rehab Success Rates<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can Thoughts & Cravings for Alcohol Lead to a Relapse?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nobody intends for a relapse to occur. They happen accidentally and often result from situations that snowball. A single thought can trigger a cascade of events that eventually lead to a relapse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • The trigger:<\/strong> People who struggle with drinking often have triggers that they associated with drinking in the past. For some people, it might be a location, such as a certain bar, where they used to drink or a group of people with whom they used to drink. Being around past triggers can make a person start thinking about drinking again.<\/li>
  • The thought:<\/strong> The way you think about a trigger can determine whether you continue on to a relapse. For example, it is common for people to mentally justify having a drink by allowing themselves to have thoughts like, \u201cI\u2019m around my old friends, and I\u2019ll only have one drink; I can control it.\u201d These thoughts are red flags that can make a person more likely to relapse when they struggle with alcohol.<\/li>
  • The craving:<\/strong> Once you have given yourself mental permission to exit sobriety, it can be very difficult to control your drinking. You may find yourself drinking for longer than you intended or drinking more than you intended.<\/li>
  • The relapse:<\/strong> Guilt and hopelessness are common feelings after a person in recovery has had a drink. They may think they are a failure and are unable to maintain sobriety. These negative thoughts reinforce the slip-up. Further, they feed a sense of hopelessness that can lead to the person continuing to drink, possibly convinced that they are now unable to stop.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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