Holiday Relapse

Yesterday was Father's Day. And like many holidays at TLC we had a few people relapse.

It doesn't make a lot of difference whether it's the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, New Year's Day, or Thanksgiving. We always have a few clients who can't handle the emotion and relapse. For some these holidays were an occasion to celebrate with drugs or alcohol. For others maybe these holidays summon up memories of good times spent with families or friends.

So this weekend we had a few people return from work drunk or high. In one instance we had to summon the police to remove a man who became belligerent when told he couldn't drink or do drugs at TLC. When the police came it created quite a stir. However, these incidents also have their plus side. 

The clients who stayed sober and who are working the program get to see, firsthand, the results of a relapse. While most know on an intellectual level what the consequences are when they pick up again – there's something much more impressive when a couple of burly cops remove one of their roommates kicking and screaming from the premises.

But the real lesson for all of us is that if we're working a good program there are no acceptable reasons or occasions for a relapse. Only excuses. I've seen many in recovery experience deaths in the family, loss of employment, serious illness – yet they stay sober.

The key is to use the tools we've been given at TLC, and in the rooms of the 12 step programs.