Relapses or slips are a normal part of the change process in addiction recovery. As part of an effective relapse prevention program, skill building, finding sober support people to connect with, and action plans are recommended so that if a slip happens the recovering person can gain strength in getting back into recovery instead of remaining involved in substance use. Important keys to maintaining a healthy recovery come from understanding the personal context in which addiction might occur, such as through substance-using social connections or in social situations. There are various strategies that can aid in preventing relapse, and the process begins by learning skills, recognizing supports, and creating an action plan.
Skills
In order to effectively manage the thoughts, feelings, and urges that accompany the recovery process from addiction, certain skills have to be developed to prevent relapse. Trigger identification and temptation recognition are significant skills in the recovery process. Triggers refer to people, situations, places, or emotions that can make a person feel vulnerable toward substance use. When a recovering person is faced with a trigger, the next step is recognizing how close to being tempted toward substance use the person might be. Realizing ahead of time what known triggers exist and rating how much of a temptation the triggers might be is a strategy toward preventing relapse. As an example, a recovering female lists fights with her boyfriend as a trigger that tempts her to want to use on a scale of one to 10 at a seven.
Support
One of the biggest assets of recovery is having a sober support system to turn to when triggered toward relapse. If family or close friends are not an option for discussing temptations toward relapse, there are anonymous support groups available with local sponsors who can offer guidance. It is essential in a program of relapse prevention to have sober and healthy people incorporated into your life to provide support when trying to overcome the hurdles of daily life. Additionally a person in recovery can benefit from psychotherapy with a trained addictions counselor in order to address the various stresses faced in daily life that might compromise sobriety. To find more out about supports, speak to your doctor, run an Internet search for sobriety supports or find out if your job has an employee assistance program with recommendations.
Action Plan
A written recovery action plan can be developed in counseling and support groups or by self-education via the Internet. A good action plan includes listing triggers and journaling responses to daily triggers. Identification of high-risk situations that includes logging thoughts and feelings about the situations is a significant portion of an action plan. Additionally, having a crisis management plan that addresses whom to call, where to go and ideal positive outcomes of a potential crisis are key strategies for relapse prevention.
