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Personal Recovery Planning for Substance Abuse

With the appropriate treatment plan, a person can recover from drug or alcohol abuse. Attempting to withdraw from alcohol or drugs on your own can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms that can even cause death. A personal recovery plan overseen by a professional can lead to a full recovery and minimize the chances of a relapse.

  1. Starting a Recovery Plan

    • Make an appointment for a clinical assessment. This is the first step toward creating a personal plan for recovery from substance abuse. Work in conjunction with a counselor to create a treatment plan. Available treatment programs for substance abuse vary. There are outpatient and residential programs. Once the assessment has been completed, choose which treatment program is best for you.

    Creating a Personal Recovery Plan

    • Write out a personal recovery plan that lists problems and goals. Include treatment activities specifically designed to help meet your goals. Write out ways to meet the goals. List ways to judge whether or not a goal has been achieved. Set up a time frame for meeting goals. As time goes by, adjust the recovery plan to meet changing needs and make sure the plan stays relevant.

    Using the Plan to Create a Recovery Lifestyle

    • Attend individual counseling and group counseling; this provides support to stay focused on the recovery plan. Through counseling, a strategy can be developed to learn new coping mechanisms. Many treatment programs help patients learn new life skills. If your employment has been jeopardized due to substance abuse, find a program for training and practicing employment skills. Discover what types of leisure activities can promote a healthy lifestyle and strengthen the capability of staying drug or alcohol free.

      Social skills may need to be relearned. Get involved in learning how to communicate effectively and manage anger and stress without seeking an escape route through substance abuse. Become versed in how to effectively manage money and time.

    Using the Personal Recovery Plan to Prevent Relapses

    • One way to prevent relapse is to learn how to recognize relapse triggers. A trigger is anything that causes the craving for the drug or alcohol. These usually have some connection to past usage, such as a drinking buddy. Identify ways to cope with cravings. Develop various plans to handle stressful situations and know what to do if a relapse does occur. Join a recovery group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, self-help and recovery groups are very important in the recovery process. They also state that relapse is often a part of the recovery process, so don’t get discouraged if it happens. Follow the plan and stay in followup.

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