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Substance Abuse Relapse Prevention Activities

Addiction is a disease, and quitting is only half the battle. Staying clean is the other, and it is an enormously challenging task for addicts and their supporters. To prevent relapses, addicts must steer clear of risky situations, must keep in mind that they are and always will be addicts, and must approach life calmly and with even-handed emotions.

  1. Avoid the Old Haunts

    • Relapses are brought on by triggers, and those triggers include friends and places where the addict used to abuse. Alcoholics may wish to steer clear of bars or attend sober-only parties for months, years or forever after they quit drinking. Addicts of other drugs will want to avoid the people they used with and the places where they used.

    Stay Calm

    • Bad feelings--anger, depression, fear--can trigger a relapse. So can good feelings. Alcohol and other substances are frequently used in celebration. Addicts must take their failures and fears in stride, and must take pleasure but not elation in their accomplishments. Extreme emotions either way can trigger an urge to use. Therapy, either in meetings or one on one, can help.

    Stay Busy

    • While stress can trigger a relapse, so can boredom and complacency. Addicts need to find healthy ways to feel good and fill their days.

    Stay Clean--Completely Clean

    • Addicts sometimes substitute one drug for another. It is not ok to drink to replace heroin, and it is not ok to smoke marijuana in place of drinking. Addiction is not limited to one drug, and those who have been addicted to one can easily be addicted to another. This includes prescription medication, even when it's used properly. This is the reason heroin addicts sometimes refuse sedatives for hospital treatment.

    Stay with Supporters

    • Addicts should not attempt to quit alone, nor should they attempt to stay sober alone. Successful sobriety includes the encouragement, support and watchfulness of friends and family. They should help the addict steer clear of risks and watch for suspicious behavior that suggests a secret relapse (avoidance, compulsive behavior). It's not unreasonable for family and friends to want to know the addict's whereabouts and company at all times, especially in the first stages of sobriety.

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