Courtesy of ssosobriety.org...
Create a Relapse Prevention Action Plan !
- Have a general plan - phone fellow recovers, get to a meeting, etc
- Make a list of situations in which you have drunk/drugged in the past.
- Make a list of the places, people and things associated with your addictive behaviour.
- Make a list of the internal feelings associated with drinking/using - depression, euphoria, anger, stress, loneliness, success, etc.
- Identify which of these factors are present recently and at the moment and note them as warning signs.
- List the specific warning signs which you have identified and prioritise them hierarchically.
- Work out a series of alternative ways (not just one) which you can use to deal with each warning sign, e.g., going to the cinema, instead of a bar, changing your phone n?, exercising away anger, crying instead of suppressing sadness, etc. Experiment to see what works best. Some will work sometimes and others will work other times.
- Let yourself have a relapse fantasy - identify where and when does it occur, who is there, how it happen, what are the feeling and emotions present and how it ends.
- Are you having drinking dreams when you sleep - what happens ?
- Practice ? closing the gap ? - think of the times when you were drinking and pick the worst, most painful memories of the consequences. Re-feel the hangover, dehydration, vomiting, etc., Re-kindle the emotions of self-hate, shame, hopelessness. Hammer home the fact that drinking/using equals pain not pleasure or relief. Repeat this exercise, don?t just wait until you feel an urge or a craving.
- Realise that everything passes and that this feeling, mood or compulsion will disappear. Tell yourself that you do not have to act upon it, that you have choices as a human being and are not a slave to a chemical. You will be stronger as a result. Realise that millions of people face the same moods, feelings and negative thoughts, but don?t drink or drug their way out of them.
- Don?t just think, talk or write the plan - PUT IT INTO ACTION ! Recovery doesn?t float down on a cloud, you have to take concrete actions and steps to realise it. Rehearse strategies one at a time. See yourself walking past the local bar and going to the cinema. Pick an alternative substitute and do it. Feel sad and then make yourself cry. Get angry about something and then go exercise.
- If you find you have barriers to actually implementing your plan, go back and ask yourself the $50,000 question of why you created it in the first place. Remind yourself that alcoholics and addicts look for the easy way out, the quick fix, as easy a taking that drink or drug. Remember that there is no quick recovery solution ! You don?t get something worth having for nothing, especially when it is a second chance at life ! ! ! You have to make some effort. If you are creating barriers to your plan, then it may reflect that you are still in Denial. At the same time don?t make the task too difficult. Don?t decide to lay on a bed of nails if you are caught by an urge to drink/drug. Find alternatives which are pleasurable and rewarding in some way, if possible. If you are having problems with your plan, it could mean that your plan is too ambitious, difficult or inadequate. So analyse what the barriers are and discuss it with others in your group or individually.
- Discuss your plan with others.
Create a Relapse Prevention Action Plan !
- Have a general plan - phone fellow recovers, get to a meeting, etc
- Make a list of situations in which you have drunk/drugged in the past.
- Make a list of the places, people and things associated with your addictive behaviour.
- Make a list of the internal feelings associated with drinking/using - depression, euphoria, anger, stress, loneliness, success, etc.
- Identify which of these factors are present recently and at the moment and note them as warning signs.
- List the specific warning signs which you have identified and prioritise them hierarchically.
- Work out a series of alternative ways (not just one) which you can use to deal with each warning sign, e.g., going to the cinema, instead of a bar, changing your phone n?, exercising away anger, crying instead of suppressing sadness, etc. Experiment to see what works best. Some will work sometimes and others will work other times.
- Let yourself have a relapse fantasy - identify where and when does it occur, who is there, how it happen, what are the feeling and emotions present and how it ends.
- Are you having drinking dreams when you sleep - what happens ?
- Practice ? closing the gap ? - think of the times when you were drinking and pick the worst, most painful memories of the consequences. Re-feel the hangover, dehydration, vomiting, etc., Re-kindle the emotions of self-hate, shame, hopelessness. Hammer home the fact that drinking/using equals pain not pleasure or relief. Repeat this exercise, don?t just wait until you feel an urge or a craving.
- Realise that everything passes and that this feeling, mood or compulsion will disappear. Tell yourself that you do not have to act upon it, that you have choices as a human being and are not a slave to a chemical. You will be stronger as a result. Realise that millions of people face the same moods, feelings and negative thoughts, but don?t drink or drug their way out of them.
- Don?t just think, talk or write the plan - PUT IT INTO ACTION ! Recovery doesn?t float down on a cloud, you have to take concrete actions and steps to realise it. Rehearse strategies one at a time. See yourself walking past the local bar and going to the cinema. Pick an alternative substitute and do it. Feel sad and then make yourself cry. Get angry about something and then go exercise.
- If you find you have barriers to actually implementing your plan, go back and ask yourself the $50,000 question of why you created it in the first place. Remind yourself that alcoholics and addicts look for the easy way out, the quick fix, as easy a taking that drink or drug. Remember that there is no quick recovery solution ! You don?t get something worth having for nothing, especially when it is a second chance at life ! ! ! You have to make some effort. If you are creating barriers to your plan, then it may reflect that you are still in Denial. At the same time don?t make the task too difficult. Don?t decide to lay on a bed of nails if you are caught by an urge to drink/drug. Find alternatives which are pleasurable and rewarding in some way, if possible. If you are having problems with your plan, it could mean that your plan is too ambitious, difficult or inadequate. So analyse what the barriers are and discuss it with others in your group or individually.
- Discuss your plan with others.