Preventing relapse sounds like a secondary goal, but it’s a powerful tool in any recovery. Ultimately, even if our sobriety isn’t at risk, these tools will flesh out our recoveries and add color, meaning and emotional grounding to our daily lives. Triggers could include anything from specific people or places to particular emotions or situations. Once identified, you can develop strategies to avoid or healthily cope with them. Furthermore, knowing your early warning signs could allow you to act before it’s too late. Not everyone who goes through the emotional and mental stages of relapse actually relapses.

Know your triggers

All of these changes are crucial for a successful maintenance of recovery and reengaging in life without the use of substances. If you’re not sure how to move through the recovery process, follow one of the relapse prevention plan models that are available. Substance abuse and mental health expert Terry Gorski has a nine-step relapse prevention plan that can help you recognize and manage relapse warning signs. Alan Marlatt, PhD, developed an approach that uses mental, behavioral, and lifestyle choices to prevent relapse.

Continuing Therapeutic Care

Making a plan in case that occurs can help ensure you stay on the path toward lasting wellness. This may involve reaching out to a support person or attending support group meetings as part of that strategy. At ASIC Recovery, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is dedicated to helping you develop healthier coping skills and build a supportive recovery network so that you can achieve long-term sobriety. Remember, a relapse isn’t a sign of failure but a common part of the journey to recovery. With the right tools and support, you can overcome relapses and continue on your path to a healthier and more fulfilling life.

User Experiences of CBT for Anxiety and Depression: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis

By clicking “Submit,” you certify that you have provided your legal name and phone number, agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy, and authorize Addictionresource to contact you. You consent to receive SMS notifications and promotions from Addictionresource. Developing an Effective Action Plan requires valuable insights that go beyond the basic steps of planning. A successful plan must focus on results-oriented actions with clear objectives and measurable outcomes while taking into account potential challenges that may arise along the way. When the urge to use hits, remind yourself why you started down the path to recovery in the first place.

• A relapse prevention plan is essential for recognizing warning signs and ensuring sobriety.
• Whatever it may be, having clear goals and motivations in place can keep you going when times become challenging.
• At the center of this journey, serving as a faithful compass guiding individuals towards sustained sobriety is the relapse prevention plan.
• Reviewing your journal can visualize how far you’ve come and remind you why you started this journey.

Medications can help you manage withdrawal symptoms before they trigger a relapse. It takes time to get over a dependence, deal with withdrawal symptoms, and overcome the urge to use. Contacting the supportive people in your life can have a tremendous impact on cravings and relapse.

Relapse prevention planning aims to provide useful tools for navigating difficult moments in recovery. Anticipating potential obstacles and feeling confident in your ability to manage them can help you move through life optimistically. One of the most widely used relapse prevention techniques is the HALT model. The acronym “HALT” stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired—four common conditions that can trigger a relapse. Events, specific people (such as friends who are also using), and certain places can put you at a higher risk of relapsing. A relapse prevention plan works best when you do it under a therapist or counselor’s supervision.

Navigating the path to recovery from addiction is a journey marked by moments of triumph and times of challenge. At the center of this journey, serving as a faithful compass guiding individuals towards sustained sobriety is the relapse prevention plan. According to NIDH, 85 percent of individuals relapse within a year of treatment which is why it’s so important to create a plan to stop relapse from occurring. To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review to explore relapse prevention interventions explicitly administered following a specific type of psychological treatment, i.e., GSH. The SMArT (Self-Management after Therapy) intervention described in both publications by Lucock et al. (2018, 2021) explored the same relapse prevention intervention for depression but with different participants.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

There may be times when you experience uncomfortable feelings and situations; however, with the right tools, you can navigate through these moments. You may practice coping techniques such as breathing exercises, regulating emotions through journaling, saying “no” to situations that do not serve your recovery, and exercise. Creating a tailored relapse prevention plan involves a detailed, personalized approach. Self-care means being mindful of negative or unhelpful thoughts that could incite relapse.

Make a Reminder of Warning Signs

Attending outpatient care or talk therapy sessions can help you navigate foreign situations and continue skill-building. During individual therapy sessions, you’ll likely engage in various therapeutic methods like dialectical behavior therapy relapse prevention skills (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Discussions often revolve around dealing with everyday situations without turning to substances. It’s essential to stick with your aftercare program and follow-up appointments.