plan to succeed

Relapse happens -- not to everyone, and not always. But relapse is not unusual, especially if someone stops following their treatment plan. When it does happen, it's more helpful to focus on how to respond to it rather than to become discouraged or fixate on the relapse itself.

An effective way of handling the possibility of relapse is to plan for it. A relapse prevention plan is an important step in overall recovery. A relapse prevention plan puts down in writing the factors that could lead to relapse and how to respond to each one. Those factors can include how to handle:

• Stress generally
• Finances
• Family
• Relationships
• Work
• Sights, sounds and smells
• Other things that could raise anxiety

An advisor, sponsor or counselor can help guide you or a loved one through developing a relapse prevention plan. A solid relapse prevention plan includes a detailed action plan and how to act on it, with guidelines for personal self-care, plus steps to take to deal with urges and cravings, and contact info for people to reach out to in times of need.