A relapse prevention plan includes various strategies and techniques, such as identifying personal behaviors, to help reduce the risk of a relapse following treatment for substance use disorder.
What Is a Relapse?
Arelapseoccurs when someone starts reusing a drug after a period of abstinence. Before a relapse occurs, there are usually warning signs. It’s a process that often starts with feelings and thoughts and can include cravings. The three stages of relapse include:
To prevent a relapse, you will want to remove triggers, including places, people, or purchases that may bring about urges to use again. Some warning signs of a potential relapse, according to Gottlich, could includesecretiveness, disengaging from treatment, and being overly arrogant about sobriety.
What’s Included in a Relapse Prevention Plan
A relapse prevention plan must be customized to the individual and their specific needs, preferences, and surrounding resources and support system.
In your plan, you should answer the following:
“There should always be a plan and skills in place,'' Gottlich said. Once you’ve made your relapse prevention plan, share it with friends, family, and the people you live with, so they can providesupport, but also remove triggers from the home. Share it with the people you spend a lot of the time with, including those who have used substances with you in the past, so they can be aware.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol or substance use, you can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline, which is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Call 1-800-662-4357 or send your zip code to 435748 (HELP4U).
Other Steps to Take
In addition to establishing a relapse prevention plan, individuals with a substance use disorder should have a treatment plan in place. Treatment could includeindividual therapy, group therapy, such asAA meetings, and/or psychiatry, said Gottlich.
“A major aspect of substance abuse treatment is accountability, which is why treatment is so important,” said Gottlich. “Substance abuse is a lifelong disease. The first few months to a year can be the hardest, but it does get easier over time.”
You may not plan to relapse, but that doesn’t mean you’re not susceptible to one. If you’re recovering from a substance use disorder, it’s important to have a plan written out and shared with others, such as friends, family members, or members of your professional care team.
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