RELAPSE

You thought you were past it. Then one bad day, and the old patterns come rushing back—anger, overthinking, numbing yourself in ways you promised you wouldn’t. Relapse feels like failure. But it’s not. It’s part of the process. No healing is a straight line. What matters is what you do next. Name it: “This is a relapse.” Normalise it: “It happens.” Then reset: small step, small win, small proof you can move forward again. Shame only drags you deeper into the old cycle. Compassion lifts you out. Remember, slipping back doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made. You still have those tools, those lessons. Pick them up again. Progress is built on returns, not perfection.