Relapse Statistics
Drug relapse statistics reveal the reality of addiction recovery. Close to half of people who experience drug or alcohol addiction also experience relapses in recovery. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s “Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide,” between 40 and 60 percent of people who struggle with drug addiction experience setbacks.
Although addiction relapse statistics may seem grim, not everyone who experiences addiction struggles with relapses, and many people progress in recovery despite setbacks.
What Drug Has the Highest Relapse Rate?
Anyone with an addiction to drugs or alcohol is susceptible to experiencing a relapse. However, some drug addictions may be harder to treat than others. Additionally, relapse rates by drug type vary. Because setbacks are shared among all types of drug addictions, it can be difficult to tell what drug has the highest relapse rate.
Some drugs are more addictive than others and have different rates of relapse. Nicotine excluded, some of the most addictive drugs that contribute to the highest relapse rates include substances like:
Alcohol: Some studies show that of people who are treated for alcoholism, less than 20 percent remain sober for a year.
Opioids: Heroin, oxycodone and hydrocodone are some of the most highly addictive opioids. According to international studies (not including data from China), the first-year relapse rate among people who abuse heroin is typically 80 to 95 percent. A study from 2010 concluded that of people treated for opiate addiction, more than 90 percent reported relapsing after treatment.
We surveyed 2,136 American adults who either wanted to stop drinking alcohol or had already tried to (successfully or not).
For the study, relapse was defined as a return to old alcohol abuse behaviors. Of those surveyed, only 29.4% reported not relapsing at all. The largest group (32.3%) relapsed back to alcohol use within the first year after stopping. With perseverance, your chances of relapsing decrease the longer you stay sober: 21.4% relapsed in their second year in recovery, but only 9.6% relapsed in years three through five, and only 7.2% did so after their fifth year in recovery.
Other drugs that have a high potential for abuse and high relapse rates include stimulants (specifically cocaine and methamphetamine) and benzodiazepines (specifically Xanax and Valium). For people in recovery, knowing which substances have higher setback rates can be helpful in drug relapse prevention.
Preventing a Drug Relapse
The first six months of recovery is the period when a relapse is most likely to occur. However, forming an alcohol relapse plan or a drug relapse prevention plan can be beneficial for people in recovery.
A strong relapse prevention plan can include:
Following an aftercare treatment plan
Participating in a 12-step program
Identifying and avoiding triggers
Building a strong support system
Forming new coping mechanisms to deal with stress and difficult emotions
Making lifestyle changes that are conducive to recovery
A strong relapse prevention plan can include:
Changing your social network to avoid being around people who aren’t in recovery
Avoiding specific settings such as bars or nightclubs
Consistently attending outpatient programs
Attending sober social activities to prevent boredom
Attending individual therapy sessions
However, despite knowing how to prevent drug addiction relapses, setbacks can still occur. In the event of a relapse, you shouldn’t panic or assume you’ve failed at recovery. Instead, you can:
Examine what led to the relapse: Learning from a relapse can help prevent future setbacks.
Decide that the relapse was an isolated situation: In this case, you can recommit to recovery and move past a relapse by seeking support in a 12-step program and from peers in recovery.
Consider re-enrolling in treatment: If the relapse lasted for a significant amount of time, or if you feel that you cannot continue to maintain sobriety without help, going back into a treatment program can be beneficial.
Invest in professional mental health counseling: Cognitive behavioral therapy can be especially useful after a relapse. This therapy may be used in conjunction with substance abuse counseling to help change your thinking and behavior patterns to recommit to sobriety.