Relapse Prevention: Planning for Success

When you decided to quit drinking, using other drugs or gambling, you took the first step towards recovery. This step was the beginning of an important change in your life.

You may have expected all your problems to go away when you quit, but somehow many problems are still with you. Recovery is building a new life, and like any major change it takes time. It also involves mixed feelings. One moment you can feel good about the new possibilities, and the next you can feel sad to leave old friends and habits behind. It can be confusing. It can even make you doubt your commitment to this new direction that you know in your heart is right for you.

A technique called Relapse Prevention Planning can help. In fact, it can make all the difference in the world. By thinking ahead, and by working out ways to handle the pressures that might lead you back to your drinking, drug use or gambling, you can approach your new life with a greater sense of confidence. Relapse Prevention Planning is planning for success!

Relapse Prevention Planning is based on the experiences and successes of many people just like you who have already traveled the road to recovery. It recognizes that the road often has many rough patches, and that to succeed on this road you will need a relapse prevention plan.

Your Goal is Recovery

Your use of alcohol, drugs or gambling probably caused you many problems – at home, at work, with the law. Still, you may have been afraid to face everyday life without them. That is why your decision to stop was so difficult and important. Recovery involves finding new ways of taking care of your self, and new ways of acting with friends, with family, and at work. It also involves avoiding relapse—falling back into your habits of using alcohol, drugs or gambling to deal with problems and stress.

You can stay in control by setting goals in important areas of your life and by working towards these goals. You will need to plan to achieve your goals in each of your major life areas such as: your physical and emotional health, your relationships, your job, your recreation and the things you do for relaxation. Reaching these goals is a matter of making it happen rather than just wishing it might happen. It is a matter of creating a set of plans for yourself to deal with situations that may interfere with your recovery. Old ways of behaving need to be replaced with new carefully planned actions.

As is often said: "Doing the same old thing and expecting different results is insanity." So, decide here and now that you are going to learn how to do "new things" and to put the effort into every aspect of making your "new habits" a reality. Decide to be the "new you". Can you do this? Yes, of course you can. Now go out and make it happen!

What Is Relapse?

Relapse is a process that begins when you start slipping back into old behaviour patterns. A relapse begins long before you take your first drink, drug or gamble. Some things that can lead to relapse include:

• Feeling that you have the problem under control and taking a chance to use or gamble again.
• Not working out stresses and problems at home, work or school, and when these build up or a crisis happens, you go back using or gambling.
• Not dealing with stresses such as problems with your finances, with your health, or with the legal system.
• Not handling negative feelings such as boredom, loneliness or anger.
• Giving in to cravings or urges to use or gamble.
• When under stress you don't see any other way to cope other than to use or gamble. Not working on your recovery plan (e.g. not going to self-help meetings).

To Avoid Relapse:

1. Handle day-to-day feelings and problems as they happen. Your plans should involve handling feelings and problems as they happen. This way, pressure and stress do not build up. The stress you may already feel will only get worse if you put off dealing with problems with family, friends or work.
2. Keep your life in balance... A way to reduce stress. It is important to find ways to balance work and relaxation. Having fun with family or friends, without including alcohol, drugs or gambling, can be challenging. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself simple rewards that give you pleasure – a walk, time with a hobby, a chance to read a book. Writing out a plan for your day may help you find a balanced routine. Fill in free time with a variety of activities. Try a few new ones; you will find some you enjoy. What you eat can affect how well you cope with pressure. Lots of good basic foods like fruit, vegetables, cheese, whole grain cereals and breads, fish, and meat help cut down stress. Food rich in B vitamins helps to reduce craving for alcohol and to keep stress manageable. Caffeine (coffee, soft drinks), nicotine (cigarettes, cigars) and too much sugar can make you tense.
3. Gain support and trust. Family, friends, your boss, a co-worker, a support group or a counselor can talk with you about the pressures you are feeling in recovery. They can watch with you for the warning signs of relapse and help you handle the stress. Let them know your goals and your plans so that they can help you out.
4. Identify and plan for high-risk situations. Everyone faces high-risk situations at some time – you will find yourself in situations where you are more likely to drink, use drugs or gamble. These situations can be handled more easily if you know ahead of time what they will be. Have at least three ways to handle them, so that if one does not work, you do not give up. Practice what you will do or say, so you do not worry about what to do under pressure. You can stay confident and in control.