My Adult Child is Relapsing

If your adult child is relapsing and needs to enter into rehabilitation treatment for drugs or alcohol, it is not a sign of failure. Like any disease, addiction can recur and require additional treatment. Recovery from drug and/or alcohol abuse is a lifelong journey that demands constant management to avoid relapse. But even if it’s frustrating or painful to see your son or daughter relapsing, it is not hopeless.

Recovery Centers of America’s individualized inpatient and outpatient treatment programs will address the reason your adult child is relapsing and help him or her get back on the path to recovery. In addition to providing the masters-level clinical care, Recovery Centers of America offers extensive family therapy and family education programs that will help you and your family understand why relapse happens, get information on the overall rehabilitation process, and provide tools and systems for supporting your adult child with his or her long-term drug or alcohol addiction recovery.

On This Page:

• Can my adult child go through rehab more than once?
• Why does my adult child need to go to rehab multiple times?
• Will my insurance cover rehabilitation treatments more than once?
• Is it too soon for my adult child to go back into rehab?
• Why does my adult child keep relapsing?
• Is my adult child’s spouse acting as an enabler?
• Why didn’t rehab work last time for my adult child?

Can my adult child go through rehab more than once?

While many people get sober or go through rehabilitation once without relapsing, it is not uncommon for patients to experience relapse.

Relapsing doesn’t mean the addicted individual or previous treatments have failed. Rather, the methods need to be reinstated or different treatment modalities need to be applied. Recovery Centers of America’s treatment programs are tailored to your adult child’s specific needs every time he or she is in rehab.

If your adult son or daughter has been through a treatment program with Recovery Centers of America in the past, there are elements that will be repeated and others that will change when your son or daughter reenters treatment. His or her individualized treatment plan will focus on the areas where he or she previously excelled and spend extra time assisting in the areas that need improvement or may have caused relapse.

Why does my adult child need to go to rehab multiple times?

Sometimes the methods, medications, and therapies used to combat addiction need to be altered and revisited in order to be effective. That means your adult child may need to go to rehab more than once. Addiction to drugs or alcohol is a complex and chronic disease that, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, leads to characteristic, biological, psychological, and social changes.

The masters-level clinicians, primary therapists, doctors, psychiatrists, and nurses at Recovery Centers of America create individualized treatment plans and a continuum of care, including relapse prevention and recovery support, to help your son or daughter stay sober following treatment.

Will my insurance cover rehabilitation treatments more than once?

Most insurance plans cover professional addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, but coverage for repeat rehabilitation treatment will vary by plan. Recovery Centers of America is in-network with most insurance providers and can verify your insurance for free. If you need help understanding your son or daughter’s insurance policy—or your family policy if your child is still on your insurance plan—our financial counselors will help you understand whether or not your insurance covers treatment for your adult son or daughter more than once.

Is it too soon for my adult child to go back into rehab?

It is never too soon for your adult child to go back to rehab. Whether your adult child has been out of rehab for one day or one year, if relapse occurs, having him or her reenter addiction treatment is the best way to get back on track.

Once back in rehab, your adult child will undergo 30 days of inpatient treatment (after the initial detoxification and stabilization period) at a Recovery Centers of America facility followed by 60 days of ambulatory care.

Going back into rehab does not constitute a failure, no matter how soon or how many times it happens following treatment. Your son or daughter’s life is worth the continued effort.

Why does my adult child keep relapsing?

Addiction is a complex disease that affects everyone differently. Treatment methods and recovery strategies often vary from person to person, and what may work for one person may not work for another person. If your adult child is relapsing, a variation in treatment, change of environment, or new coping mechanisms may be necessary to help prevent your son or daughter from relapsing again in the future.

Recovery Centers of America is committed to helping your son or daughter address the root cause of relapse, and will develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses the problems head-on. No matter how many times your son or daughter relapses or enters treatment, Recovery Centers of America will treat him or her with dignity and respect.

Is my adult child’s spouse acting as an enabler?

Whether intentional or not, an enabler can throw a patient’s recovery off track and hinder his or her progress. Enablers may come in a variety of forms and can include a spouse or romantic partner. If the spouse of your adult son or daughter is also battling addiction, is still engaging with people and places that may trigger drug or alcohol use, or is not participating in or following through with a recovery support plan, he or she may be enabling your son or daughter’s addiction.

Spouses are strongly encouraged to participate in counseling—including family and couples therapy sessions—while their husbands or wives are in treatment. Your son or daughter’s spouse will learn about the importance of boundaries, relationship dynamics, and caring for a loved one after treatment.

During addiction treatment, the spouse of your son or daughter is required to adhere to Recovery Centers of America’s visitation rules, which can potentially stop enabling behavior. Your child’s husband or wife will also not be able to directly contact the patient via cell phone or tablet while in treatment, since these devices are restricted unless otherwise approved by a therapy team.

Why didn’t rehab work last time for my adult child?

There are a variety of reasons why rehab didn’t previously work for your adult child. Addiction is a lifelong disease that needs to be managed and treated appropriately. In fact, the National Institute of Drug Abuse states that relapse rates are similar to those of other well-characterized chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma, and that treatment of chronic diseases involves “changing deeply embedded behaviors.”

Following rehab, a person may encounter situations—such as friends or family members using drugs and alcohol or dealing with high levels of stress and pressure from jobs or family life—that may trigger relapse. The most important thing is to recognize relapse and get your son or daughter back into treatment as quickly as possible.

Recovery Centers of America clinicians will identify the cause(s) of relapse and develop an individualized treatment plan for your son or daughter based on his or her physical and psychological needs.