The act of sliding or slipping backward; relapsing into previous bad habits or beliefs.
From 'backslide' (to slide backward) plus -ing. 'Backslide' emerged in religious contexts in the 1600s meaning to return to sin or heresy.
In religious and addiction recovery communities, 'backliding' is a crucial concept—it acknowledges that progress isn't linear and people often temporarily return to old patterns before moving forward!
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