"…The primary impediment to self-improvement and growth is the lethargy of routine and inertia. Not only does it hamper a person's spiritual growth but it renders him totally insensitive as well…It is only the shock of the clear perception of one's downfall that awakens and rouses one to action. The impact of this realization when fully harnessed can elevate one to new heights." - Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz -
relapses suck if you dont use them as a tool to grow. everytime we fall, or take a step back, we get the opportunity to use the tools we've been developing to a broader spectrum of life situations and to reconnect in a balanced way.
maybe relapses hurt so much cuz they're a reminder to our ego that we're not 'all that'! the expectations we have of ourselves are so often unrealistic. relapses drag us back to reality, they motivate us to focus on who we are - including the weaknesses that led us to them, and the strengths we have to get us past them.