Holiday Relapse Prevention Plan
Relapse is one possibility that refuses to stay out of the life of a recovered addict. Especially during the holiday season when festivities become heart-warming with parties and family gatherings, staying away from substance implies quite a challenging task for those in addiction recovery, no matter how long they have been sober. It is imperative for recovering addicts to plan coping strategies well in advance to avoid relapse.
Steps to create a successful relapse prevention plan:
- A relapse prevention plan involves identifying and reducing the risks associated with relapse, which helps recovering addicts maintain sobriety for longer periods of time. Recognising your own behaviours that indicate relapse in future is the first step in formulating a plan.
- The second step is to Understand that relapse is not a spur-of-the-moment event and it is a three-stage process which starts months before you start to abuse again, if not acted upon during the initial moments. These stages include:
- Emotional Relapse – Emotional relapse is a stage when you do not yet think about abusing but your thoughts drive you towards relapsing. Apart from feeling anxious and angry, you start isolating yourself and keeping your emotions bottled up. Also, you become sleep deprived.
- Mental Relapse – Mental relapse lands you in a war with yourself. You end up struggling between the parts of you that want to use and that don’t. The past memories of good times during the times you abused substance start haunting you. Irony is that at this stage, you remember only the good times of the past and not the bad ones which could prove to be potential triggers for future relapse.
- Physical Relapse – Physical relapse when you actually give into your temptations and start using again. It begins with one lapse, the first drink or pill that leads back into regular use.
- Writing down a document that identifies and highlights the risks associated with relapse due to your own emotional, mental and physical triggers, the course of action to deal with them and creating a support group to share is the third step in evaluating a relapse prevention plan. It may be helpful to consult a counsellor or therapist who has thorough knowledge of the subject before creating a plan. Writing down provides a clearer outline of what should be done in case the triggers induce cravings in you.
- Understanding your triggers – Certain people, places, and emotions have the ability to drive you back into drinking or using drugs again. Be aware of your triggers and proactively deal with them to avoid relapse. Some of the most common relapse triggers include withdrawal symptoms, hurt relationships, coercing pals, drug apparatus or other things that remind you of using and places where you hung out with your partners to drink or use drugs.
Some mandatory personal changes that have to be made include can be enumerated as below:
- Developing self-knowledge to identifying warning signs as to when you are likely to relapse
- Performing self-assessment with integrity.
- Self-tuning yourself to physical, psychological, and social stabilisation.
- Being self- aware through constant practice and consistency.
- Devising comprehensive follow-up plans at every stage.
- The involvement of significant others in your plan to create a support group.
- Equipping yourself with information on relapse signs and prevention methods.
- Acquiring Coping skills to manage triggering situations effectively
- Reviewing the recovery plan periodically to suit your needs.
- Distraction plans that deviate thoughts from substance abuse.
- Getting help when things seem out of control.
Maintaining sobriety is so much easier when you remember why you quit and focus on how better and purposeful your life will be once you are sober for good. Think about the bigger purpose of rebuilding relationships, having a job and being normal again. Sending you cheerful wishes and warmest greetings for a healthier and joyful holiday season – Team Phoenix
