meth relapse

how difficult will it be to stop using meth again now that i am using again after 1 1/2 years clean?

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

Everyone is different.  But I often tell the story about my own relapse----  after 7 years of recovery.  While sober, I comforted myself in thinking that at least if I ever returned to using, now I would know the way back-- now that I had discovered the steps.

But when I relapsed, the 'way back' was nowhere to be found.

When I first got clean, I attended AA and went to a few (21, actually) outpatient appointments... and things went well for many years.  After my relapse, I was in residential treatment for over 3 months, and in group meetings, step meetings, and monitoring for SIX YEARS-- and I probably benefited from every bit of it.

My point is that it is not EASIER to get clean a second time.  Yes, you have learned some things.... but the addict in in you has learned just as much, and more, and can get a jump on your efforts to become clean.  

Expect a difficult fight, and take it VERY seriously.