How to Make a Relapse Prevention Plan that Really Works

A https://ecosoberhouse.com/ is a strategy that helps individuals recovering from addiction to anticipate and avoid triggers that could lead to a return to substance use. Stress can be internal or external and may include work-related issues or conflicts in personal relationships. Negative emotions such as anger, sadness, or fear can lead to relapse if not managed properly. Social pressure involves peer pressure and can involve situations like parties where alcohol or drugs are prevalent.

  • While experts agree that recidivism is part of recovery and happens gradually, there are different explanations of its phases and warning signs.
  • Many relapse prevention plans include coping skills to respond to triggers in one’s environment that typically lead to using.
  • Complacency arises when an individual becomes too comfortable with their progress in recovery and stops putting effort into maintaining it.
  • It involves creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals that help individuals and their families work towards a successful recovery journey.
  • But more importantly, it usually will lead to a mental relapse of obsessive or uncontrolled thinking about using, which eventually can lead to physical relapse.

Some warning signs of a potential relapse, according to Gottlich, could include secretiveness, disengaging from treatment, and being overly arrogant about sobriety. Sometimes they are brought on by triggering events or situations, such as stress or major life events. Though relapse prevention plans are unique to each individual, there are specific components that are helpful to include in a final plan.

Following Through with Treatment

Support and connections with other individuals who are battling addiction are essential in all phases of recovery. Also, many people can spot relapse behaviours in others and can be a valuable tool to help those struggling with relapse. The most common ones are feeling hungry, angry, lonely or tired — the HALT acronym. When these feelings are running high in our minds, it’s more difficult to reverse the thought process and change course to more positive behaviours. The locations themselves may be a trigger during times of stress, anger or loneliness. Treatment plans can include taking alternate paths to and from work if the old hangout was a common stop on the way home.

This may be a better option for those with children or other obligations in their lives, where they can’t simply pack up and stay in a treatment centre for days or weeks. These three substances alter the brain’s ability to produce dopamine, the high that these substances create. However, through abstinence, the brain https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/relapse-prevention-plan-how-it-can-help-you-stay-on-track/ can recover and begin producing the dopamine and serotonin without drinking or using drugs. Physical relapse may also occur when the individual thinks they won’t get caught. It’s essential to have strategies in place and recognise when one is in a vulnerable situation in order to avoid physically using again.

Creating an Effective Relapse Prevention Plan

Having a plan helps you recognize your own personal behaviors that may point to relapse in the future. It also outlines ways to combat those behaviors and get back on track. Relapse prevention focuses on building the awareness necessary to recognize the early stages of relapse.

relapse prevention plan

The cognitive challenge is to indicate that negative feelings are not signs of failure, but a normal part of life and opportunities for growth. Helping clients feel comfortable with being uncomfortable can reduce their need to escape into addiction. One of the important tasks of therapy is to help individuals redefine fun. Clinical experience has shown that when clients are under stress, they tend to glamorize their past use and think about it longingly. They begin to disqualify the positives they have gained through recovery.