Relapse Prevention Plan

Maybe your wife is away for the weekend, or you’re on a trip. That’s when the voice will convince you that it’s ok and you can only have one drink. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ If you play the tape until the end, you’ll remind yourself of the adverse consequences that are waiting for you if you follow through.

  • If they make the necessary changes, they can go forward and be happier than they were before.
  • A relapse prevention plan is typically a written agreement that outlines the signs of relapse, your personal triggers, and a plan to avoid those – or handle them effectively – to prevent a return to substance use.
  • Certain people, places, and situations can drive you back into drinking or using drugs again.
  • One of the important tasks of therapy is to help individuals redefine fun.

A relapse prevention plan is individual, and it will not be the same for everyone. It is important for you to think about what you want out of recovery and what your own personal goals for the future are.

What Is ‘California Sober’?

Alan Marlatt, and outlined in the 1985 text published with Judith Gordon, RP is based not only on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for other psychiatric disorders, but also on Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory . Then, the patient and clinician work to develop strategies, including cognitive and behavioral , to address those specific high-risk situations. With more effective coping, the patient develops increased confidence to handle challenging situations without alcohol and other drugs (i.e., increased self-efficacy). For each of the relapse stages, there are different signs one might give out. Knowing what to look out for will help you know what part of a relapse prevention might be best for your situation. If you know an individual in recovery, knowing these might help you know when someone might be in trouble with relapsing. Additionally, those who engaged in more than two substance use disorders were 1.5 times more likely to relapse than those suffering from a singular addiction.

relapse prevention plan

It’s also important that the plan is custom-tailored to you and/or others. Whatever is healthy, safe, and helps prevent relapse is fair game for inclusion. Creating a relapse prevention plan is an essential part of living life in recovery. Although every person’s strategy will be different, the following five components should be a part of any solid relapse prevention plan. Even if the physical act of using drugs or alcohol only occurs once, a person likely needs to return to treatment to address the emotional and mental backslides they experienced.

What Does a Relapse Prevention Plan Template Include?

If you have already thought about it it will be much easier when the time comes. Keep contact information for mentors, counselors, and friends & family close so it is easy to reach out if the time comes. The NIH estimates that 40-60% of people who are in recovery may relapse in their journey to overcome addiction. If you think about using again and wonder what it would be like, distract yourself with another activity. Go for a walk, call a friend or family member, work on a project or read a book. It may help to create a list of activities ahead of time that you can turn to when you need to distract yourself from an urge or craving. Once you know your triggers, think about how you respond to each situation.