Recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) is a lifelong journey. Completing a treatment program is just one part of this process.
After treatment, it’s not realistic to think that individuals will be fully prepared to face challenges outside the treatment center. To successfully avoid returning to substance use, individuals need to create and implement a long-term plan to prevent relapse after treatment.
What is a Relapse Prevention Plan?
Relapse prevention is a way to help people avoid going back to harmful behaviors, like using alcohol or drugs. This approach focuses on identifying and addressing high-risk situations. The goal is to support ongoing abstinence and prevent relapse.
Creating a relapse prevention plan means listing steps that can help you stay in recovery. In essence, it serves as your roadmap.
These are the actions you will take if you encounter temptation. This plan can take different forms. You might talk about your feelings with a counselor.
You could also write down your thoughts in a journal. Another option is to create a formal written document.
Why Should a Person in Recovery Make a Relapse Prevention Plan?
Addiction is marked by changes in the brain that promote compulsive behaviors related to seeking and using drugs. Recovery from addiction necessitates professional treatment.
This treatment helps people remove toxins from their bodies and achieve sobriety. It also supports them in facing and resolving the reasons behind their substance use.
However, recovery does not conclude when treatment is over. Restoring the brain’s functions affected by substance use can take a lifetime, making recovery a continuous journey. This is why having a relapse prevention strategy is essential, as a person in recovery can be at risk of relapse at any time in their life.
What Should a Relapse Prevention Plan Include?
Each person’s recovery journey is unique. Your recovery plan should be made just for you. It should consider your needs and goals.
It should also look at any challenges you might face. Finally, it should include strategies to help you stay sober.
Set Your Purpose
What is your reason for wanting to stay in recovery? It could be your children, your job, or your physical or mental health. Whatever your goal is, keep this purpose at the center of your plan. Remind yourself of how you felt when things were at their worst and why you never want to go back there.
Set Attainable Goals
Your main goal is to stay away from alcohol and drugs. This is important for your long-term health. However, it can be helpful to set smaller, achievable goals along the way. For example, you might aim to be sober for one year or attend your first social event without using drugs.
You can also focus on other parts of your life that improve with recovery, like work achievements. Breaking your plan into smaller steps can make recovery feel easier.
Identify and Manage Triggers
The main part of most recovery plans is to identify substance use triggers. Triggers are things that remind a person of their past drug use or make them think about using drugs again. It is essential to find effective ways to manage these triggers. Both triggers and coping skills can change and grow over time.
Triggers can be mental or emotional and relate to the early stages of relapse. They may not always involve substances; they can also be an emotion, place, person, event, or situation. These triggers can lead to urges to use substances again.
It’s important to understand coping strategies for handling triggers. Breathing exercises, having an exit plan, and attending group therapy can help maintain sobriety.
Some common triggers and possible solutions are:
- Being in a place that serves alcohol. Managing alcohol cravings can involve opting for a “mocktail” or attending social events with a sober friend for support.
- Being around people who are using alcohol or drugs. Management strategies may include steering clear of these individuals or asking them not to use substances in your presence.
- Being in a situation of conflict or argument. Management strategies may include stepping away during conflicts or using breathing exercises during the situation.
Set Strategies for Cravings
Cravings can be hard to deal with during recovery. To prevent relapse, it’s essential to have a good plan that includes ways to handle cravings when they arise. Remember that cravings are temporary and will eventually fade away.
When cravings do arise, some possible ways of coping could be:
- Going for a walk or engaging in another form of physical activity.
- Practicing meditation and mindfulness
- Finding a distraction such as a good book or visiting a friend
12-Step Programs and Support Groups
Recovery is a continuous journey that requires ongoing care. When you identify warning signs of relapse, having a plan in place can be beneficial. Attending a support group or a 12-step program is an excellent way to revisit the strategies learned during rehabilitation.
These programs also offer a support system for people who understand the challenges of dealing with addiction.
Developing a Prevention Plan at Patrick’s Purpose
Relapse is a possibility for anyone. If you have worries about relapsing, we offer a secure and supportive atmosphere to help you regain your footing and enhance your chances for lasting recovery. Our dedicated team of holistic therapists can assist you in developing the right plan for you. Contact us today to learn how our sober living program can help!
References:
- National Library of Medicine: Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery
- National Library of Medicine: Addiction Relapse Prevention
- National Library of Medicine: The Cenaps model of relapse prevention: basic principles and procedures