Why Women Relapse: Emotional Triggers and How to Build Lasting Resilience

A female might experience social, cultural and structural barriers in seeking proper support for healing from emotional trauma, addiction-related concerns and other mental health issues. At times, despite finding mental health treatment, relapse may occur. The emotional triggers in the environment can lead to higher chances of relapse. To reduce the chances of emotional pain, lasting resilience can be built during the treatment process.

Understanding Relapse in Women

Women mental health is now being researched more so as to identify the relapse better and reduce the chances of relapse amongst females. The relapse in women may begin to look like:

1. Extreme temptation for an addictive substance

2. Pressure from society leading to addictive substances for coping

3. Failure in a romantic relationship as a trigger for substance usage

4. Hormonal shifts increasing emotional pain

The Emotional Triggers Behind Relapse

Healing from emotional trauma involves becoming mindful of one’s triggers and learning to manage them. Each person’s triggers may vary. If these are managed, then one can gradually reduce the chances of relapse and learn better emotion regulation.

What emotional triggers usually look like

-   Increased interpersonal conflicts

-   Sudden shifts such as getting fired

-   Death of a loved one or losing a relationship

Why emotional triggers hit women harder

Some of the many factors that can lead to an increased chance of women getting impacted by emotional triggers can include:

-   Social pressure and cultural expectations to be a ‘certain way’

-   Burnout due to multiple roles

-   Unable to seek help due to fear of judgment

-   Hormonal fluctuations leading to emotional imbalance

Relapse Stages Explained

Relapse is often understood as a process involving diverse stages. The individual may experience extreme craving during this process. Relapse stages might begin with a feeling of isolation and emotional dysregulation. Negative thinking and lack of social support can increase the chances of relapse.

Emotional Pain and Recovery

At times, emotional pain can become the cause of addictive behavior. Women may carry a lot of emotional pain without saying a word, and that can further lead to exhaustion. Women mental health can improve, and recovery is possible with the right support and treatment.

How emotional pain shows up in daily life

Emotional pain is experienced in daily life in many ways such as:

1. Difficulty forming healthy relationships

2. Challenges in trusting others

3. Feeling a lack of motivation

4. Unable to engage in activities of daily living

Why emotional pain must be treated, not ignored

Seeking support for emotional pain in a timely manner can be pivotal to save an individual’s life as well. In the journey of healing from emotional trauma, one may feel lonely and frustrated, and if such feelings are not managed promptly, then chances of using addictive substances can increase. One may use maladaptive coping strategies that can be dangerous for overall health status.

Healing From Emotional Trauma

Healing from emotional trauma is possible with the help of a suitable mental health care facility. Some strategies that can be used in this healing journey include:

1. Maintaining gratitude journal

2. Being kind towards oneself

3. Building a support network

4. Healthy boundary setting

5. Regular therapy sessions

Building Lasting Resilience

The ability to bounce back from diverse obstacles can be called resilience. Building lasting resilience can become an individual’s superpower in coping with the difficulties of life.

Practical ways to build resilience

1. Healthy self-care activities

2. Ensuring good sleep quality

3. Emotion journal

4. Celebrating wins in life

5. Reminding oneself of inner strengths

How resilience protects against relapse

Imagine a strong bulletproof jacket that protects one even during the toughest times. It acts as a shield in coping with the unstable surrounding environment. Somewhat similarly, resilience also becomes a protective shield for emotional disturbances. At the same time, it becomes essential to keep building one’s resilience through constant efforts.

When to Seek Professional Help

Mental health professionals aim to support individuals in their recovery journey. You can seek a mental health practitioner’s support in many circumstances, such as:

1. Want to become more aware of your emotional concerns

2. Learning to manage and reduce emotional pain

3. Getting a formal diagnosis and treatment plan

4. Experiencing emotion dysregulation and mood swings

5. Unable to engage in activities of daily living without any biological cause

Conclusion

Women mental health matters to the team of Athena OKAS! We aim to create a safe place for all our clients. Women often experience traumatic instances such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, etc., that can contribute towards mental health concerns.

Athena OKAS makes every possible effort to make our clients feel seen, heard, and acknowledged in a secure and confidential environment. You can learn more about our work by calling us at +91 9289730444, we would be happy to answer your queries!