
Why Relapse Is Not Failure: Learning From Our Mistakes
From Doc Jacques: Your Addiction Lifeguard by Dr. Jacques de Broekert
January 16, 2026 · 28 min · Season 6 · Episode 2
About this episode
This episode discusses the lessons learned from relapse in addiction recovery and how to approach it with curiosity instead of shame.
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Doc Jacques: Your Addiction Lifeguard, we take the heat off relapse and put the spotlight where it belongs: what it’s trying to teach you. Doc breaks down the difference between an “accident” and a full relapse, the three common relapse patterns, and how to swap shame for curiosity so you can make one solid course-correction and get right back into structure, support, and forward motion. Support the show
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Jacques de Broekert
Topics covered
- relapse
- addiction
- mental health
- learning from mistakes
- shame
- curiosity
Keywords
- relapse
- addiction recovery
- mental health
- learning
- shame
- curiosity
- support
- course-correction
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- Why The 12 Steps Are Important · May 14, 2026 · 27 min
- The Comparison Trap · May 6, 2026 · 27 min
- It Was an Accident, Not a Relapse — Here's Why That Matters · April 24, 2026 · 24 min
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