In short: Safety comes first: NIDA warns that using again after time away can be very dangerous, even deadly, and anyone who can't be woken or is struggling to breathe needs 911. A slip is common in recovery, and it doesn't erase the days you built. This post explains why safety comes first, what researchers say about slips, and where people turn.
First, safety
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that for some drugs, relapse can be very dangerous, even deadly, because a person who uses as much as they did before quitting can easily overdose.
The CDC also reports that illegally made fentanyl is mixed into heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine and pressed into fake pills, often without people knowing.
If anyone can't be woken or is struggling to breathe, call 911.
If the slip turned into days of heavy use
Stopping some substances suddenly can be dangerous. If you drink heavily every day, or take benzodiazepines, other sedatives or opioids every day, talk to a doctor before you stop. Withdrawal can cause seizures and can be life-threatening. The SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, can help you find detox, free, any hour. If a seizure, confusion, seeing things or chest pain happen, call 911.
If you take a prescribed medicine and stopped or changed it, talk to the doctor who prescribed it.
A slip is common, and it is not the end
It can feel like you're the only person who ever blew it. You're not.
NIDA says relapse is common in substance use disorders, and similar to other long-term illnesses such as high blood pressure and asthma. NIDA also says relapse doesn't mean treatment has failed. It's a sign to talk with a doctor about resuming treatment, changing it, or trying another kind.
NIAAA, the national alcohol research institute, makes the same point in its guide to recovering from a drinking episode: setbacks are common when people make a major change, and it's progress over the long run that counts.
Many people in recovery separate a slip (one time) from a relapse (sliding back into the old pattern).
The "I already blew it" feeling
Researchers have a name for the thought "I already blew it, so why stop now": the abstinence violation effect, the feeling that one slip wipes everything out, which can turn one drink or one hit into a run.
Guilt ("I did something I regret") and shame ("I am bad") are not the same. Guilt tends to move people toward repair. Shame tends to make people want to hide.
If the shame turns into thoughts of hurting yourself, or of not wanting to be here, call or text 988 now. That is exactly what it's for.
Where people turn
NIAAA's guide to recovering from a drinking episode points people to their health care provider, a sober, supportive friend, or a mutual-help meeting. The same guide has questions people use to look back at what happened.
A sponsor, a counselor, a doctor or a group can help you look back at what led up to it and what comes next. SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, can help you find treatment and support near you, free and any hour.
What happens in the app after a slip
In the Free and Sober app, your days still count. At launch, the "I slipped" path starts a new count and keeps your history: your total days and every milestone you earned stay yours. Milestone countdowns pause for a day. A new count never needs a new account, so please don't delete your account to start over.
At launch, if you share your progress through Your Corner, the people in it are never told about a slip. Their milestone emails simply pause until your next milestone. Telling them is your choice.
And if you recorded a Time Capsule, it still opens on its day, whether or not you slipped. It's a message from you, and it is never taken away. At launch, opening it after a slip starts with a short "I slipped" step first. Read about the Time Capsule.
If tonight is hard
Free and Sober is not an emergency service. If you're in danger, call 911, or call or text 988.
- Call or text 988, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential, any hour.
- Call 911 in an emergency, including any sign of an overdose.
- Call SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, for treatment referrals and information, any hour.
More lines are on our Safety page.
This post is general information, not medical or legal advice. Free and Sober is a wellness app, not medical care, and it doesn't replace a doctor, a counselor or a treatment program. Check with a doctor before you make any medical decision, including stopping or changing any medicine.