Focus: Addiction: Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery PMC

Part of this is learning effective ways to develop relapse prevention strategies and techniques. Consistent routines are not just good for those who struggle with addictions but also beneficial to people who want structure in their daily life. Routines provide a sense of stability and certainty that helps individuals stay on track towards their goals. In the context of relapse prevention, establishing consistent routines is essential to help your loved one maintain sobriety. Creating a supportive and positive environment is crucial for relapse prevention, especially for family-centered approaches. This includes creating an atmosphere that promotes sobriety rather than addiction, where the loved one feels secure, positive, and hopeful.

The high risk of relapse is a tangible reminder of the foe you are facing down. In fact, before leaving treatment you should have identified the potential landmines and have a defined plan of attack under your belt in the form of a well-crafted relapse prevention plan. A relapse prevention plan can serve as a way to improve all aspects of life and hold yourself accountable. Refer back to the plan often to remind yourself why you are doing this and how to keep it up. The plan may change with time and as you identify new or different areas of your life that you may wish to focus on. Come up with methods and ways to help yourself be successful – things like setting small attainable goals and rewarding yourself for positive progress.

Growth Stage

A good friend can talk you down and remind you of all the wonderful things in your life worth protecting by staying off drugs and alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms like nausea, shakiness, and sweating can be so difficult that you want to use drugs again just to stop them. Medications can help you https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/signs-and-symptoms-of-opioid-addiction/ manage withdrawal symptoms before they trigger a relapse. Support groups and 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can also be very helpful in preventing relapses. Focus on how much better your life will be once you stop using drugs or alcohol for good.

It can also be assuring to know that most people have the same problems and need to make similar changes. 1) Clients often want to put their addiction behind them and forget that they ever had an addiction. They feel they have lost part of their life to addiction and don’t want to spend the rest of their life focused on recovery.

Therapy Blueprint For PTSD

As such, it is vital to have a plan for how to avoid relapse and what to do if it does happen to you. As those in recovery know, a relapse is never out of the realm of possibility–no matter how long you’ve been sober. Psychology Tools makes every effort to check external links and review their content.

• Acknowledge that recovery is a difficult process and you’re doing the best you can.
• Later, when using turns into a negative experience, they often continue to expect it to be positive.
• Some common causes of drug relapse include stress, continued exposure to people or places connected to addictive behavior, and negative emotions.
• The purpose of this rule is to remind individuals not to resist or sabotage change by insisting that they do recovery their way.

A therapist or counselor can teach you coping skills to deal with the negative thoughts or cravings that may be driving you to use again. Create a relapse prevention action plan for what to do instead of turning to drugs or alcohol. For example, if going through a breakup could lead to a relapse, think of other outlets for your pain and frustration. Instead of drinking or using, plan to attend a support meeting or call a family member or close friend right away. The more specific your action plan is, the better, as this means you will be less likely to come within close reach of a relapse. Most often, a relapse prevention plan is a written document a person creates with their treatment team and shares with their support group.

Relapse Prevention Plan Template

A person may have started using alcohol or drugs to relax, unwind, or lift their mood. Therefore, during the recovery process, a person should focus on building healthy coping mechanisms for managing stress or relaxing. The relapse prevention model promotes lifestyle changes, encouraging a holistic approach to recovery. It highlights the importance of a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and positive social interactions. Once you’ve gotten sober again, you can review what happened leading up to and during the relapse.

• To prevent a relapse, you will want to remove triggers, including places, people, or purchases that may bring about urges to use again.
• It happens in definable, recognizable and preventable stages with telltale emotional patterns and other indicators.
• Past relapses are taken as proof that the individual does not have what it takes to recover [9].
• It has been shown that the way to get the most out of 12-step groups is to attend meetings regularly, have a sponsor, read 12-step materials, and have a goal of abstinence [24,25].
• Substance use is a negative coping skill, so healthy coping skills will prevent relapse and result in positive outcomes in the long-term.

You can identify triggers, improve your coping strategies, and adjust your treatment plan so that it’s more effective. Another essential thing to keep in mind is the reason one decided to quit in the first place. It can serve as a source of inspiration and help strengthen one’s resolve when it’s weakening.

Cognitive Therapy and Relapse Prevention

For the NIDA, relapse means the same way as when it occurs in other chronic medical illnesses. Drug relapse in addiction can result from triggers, ceasing medical treatment, or incompatible medications and treatment programs. It involves taking the time to tend to your mental and physical health, such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, and exercising regularly. Though relapse prevention plans are unique to each individual, there are specific components that are helpful to include in a final plan.