How to Create a Relapse Prevention Plan

Relapsing can be discouraging, especially if you have come a long way in recovery. How can you create a relapse prevention plan that helps you over the long term?

A relapse prevention plan lists your triggers, early warning signs, coping steps, and the people you can call for support. It gives you a clear set of actions for the moments when cravings or stress hit. Here is a guide to help you get started, along with a free template you can fill in below.

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What Is Relapse?

Relapse is a return to substance use after a period of abstinence. Certain triggers and cravings can contribute to it. Some people see relapse as a form of “defeat” during recovery, but it does not erase the progress a person has made.

Having a relapse is more common than most people think. It can happen during recovery, but it is not inevitable.

Relapse can also develop gradually. A 2015 article in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, “Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery,” describes a process that can begin weeks or even months before a person uses again. It outlines three stages:

• Emotional relapse: You aren’t thinking about using yet. But you may bottle up your emotions, isolate yourself, skip meetings, or stop eating and sleeping well.
• Mental relapse: Part of you wants to use, and part of you doesn’t. You may have strong cravings, think about the people and places tied to past use, or start planning to use.
• Physical relapse: This is when a person starts using again.

Recognizing these signs early gives you a chance to seek support before returning to substance use.

What Are the Common Triggers for Relapse?

Relapse can involve several triggers. Common ones include:

Emotional Triggers

People who experience stress, anxiety, or depression may feel an urge to use substances again for relief. However, returning to substance use can worsen these problems.

Emotional triggers can also come from difficult situations. For example, relationship or career problems may bring up overwhelming emotions that a person previously managed through substance use. Identifying these situations can help you plan other ways to cope.

Physical Triggers

Some people in recovery continue to experience symptoms after a medically supervised drug or alcohol detox. Fatigue, sleep problems, or physical discomfort may increase the urge to use again.

Some lingering symptoms are described as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, or PAWS. These often include emotional and psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

If you notice withdrawal symptoms, talk to a healthcare provider before trying to manage them on your own. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) warns that suddenly stopping heavy, long-term drinking can lead to painful or even life-threatening withdrawal. A doctor can help you plan a safe recovery.

Environmental Triggers

Spending time with people you used to use or drink with can be a trigger for relapse. So can going to places where you used to use or spend time while drinking. People, places, and things can become closely associated with past substance use.

Given these triggers, how can you create a relapse prevention plan suited to your needs?

What Is a Relapse Prevention Plan?

A relapse prevention plan is a personal guide you write ahead of time to help you stay on track in recovery.

Why put it in writing? When a craving hits, it can be hard to think clearly. Having your plan written down means you don’t have to figure everything out on the spot. You can look at your list and follow the steps you already chose.

Every plan looks a little different, but most include these parts:

• Reasons for recovery: The people, goals, and passions that make staying sober worth it to you.
• Triggers: The people, places, feelings, and situations that make you want to use.
• Warning signs: Early changes in your mood, thinking, or habits that signal you may need more support.
• Coping actions: What you will do when a trigger or warning sign shows up.
• Support team: Names and phone numbers of family, friends, sponsors, and counselors you can call.
• Treatment details: Your healthcare providers, prescribed medications, and prescribers.
• Daily routine: A realistic schedule that includes meaningful activities, meals, and rest.
• High-risk events: Upcoming situations and how you will handle them. For example, a holiday party or a family wedding where alcohol is served.
• Slip plan: The steps you will take if you use again, so you can get help promptly.

You don’t have to fill in every part at once. Start with what you know today, and add to your plan as you learn more about yourself in recovery. The steps below walk you through each part.

How to Create a Relapse Prevention Plan in 7 Steps

You can write your plan in a notebook, on your phone, or on the free template below. Here is how to build it, one step at a time.

Step 1: Write Down Your Reasons for Recovery

People will often tell you what to do, but this doesn’t mean that their way is what works for you. To create an effective relapse prevention plan, knowing what matters to you is important.

Discovering your passions can help you feel fulfilled without drugs or alcohol. Working on those interests can bring you enjoyment and give you something meaningful to work toward.

Start by writing down your priorities in life. These may include your family, friends, career, faith, or someone special. Then write down the activities you truly enjoy doing, even if you’re not getting paid to do them. It could be traveling, cooking, writing, playing an instrument, or anything else that brings you joy.

You can also set realistic personal goals in different areas of your life. Some goals you can include in your relapse prevention plan are:

• Financial goals: How much would you like to save this year?
• Travel goals: What places would you like to visit?
• Relationship goals: Which relationships would you like to build or strengthen?
• Family goals: How would you like to spend more meaningful time with your family?

These personal goals can help you take small steps toward the life you want. When a craving hits, reading your reasons and goals can remind you why your recovery matters.

Step 2: List Your Triggers

Go back to the emotional, physical, and environmental triggers above. Which ones apply to you? Write down the specific people, places, feelings, and situations that make you want to use.

The more specific you are, the easier it will be to plan around them. For example, instead of writing “stress,” you can write “arguments with my boss” or “Sunday nights alone at home.”

Step 3: Name Your Early Warning Signs

Write down changes in your feelings, thoughts, or habits that could signal you need more support:

• Emotional signs: Are you isolating, skipping meetings, or not eating and sleeping well?
• Mental signs: Are you dwelling on past use, minimizing its consequences, or making plans to use again?

Physical relapse means substance use has already happened. The goal here is to identify warning signs before that point.

You can also ask someone close to you which changes they would notice first.

Step 4: Choose a Coping Action for Each Trigger

For every trigger and warning sign on your list, write down what you will do instead. Having a plan ready means you don’t have to make a decision in the middle of a craving.

One simple tool is the 4 Ds of relapse prevention: delay, distract, de-stress, and de-catastrophize.

• Delay: Put off acting on the craving for 10 minutes, then repeat while reaching out for support.
• Distract: Find something else to do, like taking a walk or tidying up.
• De-stress: Take slow, deep breaths.
• De-catastrophize: Challenge thoughts such as “I can’t handle this.” Remind yourself that a craving does not mean you have to act on it.

You can also explore other relapse prevention strategies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques, with your treatment provider.

Step 5: Build Your Support Team

You don’t have to manage recovery alone. Supportive people can help you work toward your relapse prevention goals.

Have you lost touch with your family since your substance use? Did you fall out of touch with friends you enjoyed spending time with? If those relationships are safe and supportive, reconnecting may be part of your plan.

You can start by sending a message or giving someone a quick call. From there, you might have lunch, visit over the weekend, or gather during special occasions. Respect each person’s boundaries as you rebuild trust.

Then write down the names and phone numbers of people you can call when a trigger hits. This list can include family members, friends, a sponsor, a counselor, and your doctor. If you take prescribed medications, add them and the name of your prescriber.

Step 6: Set a Daily Routine

Anxiety and boredom can contribute to relapse risk. A realistic daily routine can give your day structure and make room for recovery, responsibilities, and activities you enjoy.

You can use a planner or scheduling app. For example, you might start your morning with exercise, followed by a shower and breakfast. Include time for treatment appointments or meetings, regular meals, and enough sleep. Leave room for rest and unexpected changes.

You can also plan activities around your interests. If you enjoy going outdoors, you might join a biking group. If you enjoy writing, you could start a blog.

Choose a routine you can maintain, and adjust it as your needs change.

Step 7: Plan for High-Risk Events and Slips

Some days will be harder than others. Holidays, weddings, work parties, and anniversaries of past losses can bring up old triggers. Look at your calendar for the next few months and write down any events that could put your recovery at risk.

For each one, decide ahead of time whether to attend, who could support you, and how you will leave early if you need to. If alcohol will be served, plan what you will drink instead.

You should also decide what you will do if you slip. Who will you call first? How will you contact your treatment provider? Knowing these steps ahead of time can help you get support quickly.

Finally, review your plan every few months or after any big life change. Your triggers and goals may shift as your recovery grows, and your plan should grow with you.

Need help putting your plan into action? Call our team any time, day or night.

Free Printable Relapse Prevention Plan Template

Copy or print this template and fill in each section. Include phone numbers for your support contacts so you can reach them quickly.

Keep a copy somewhere you can easily find it, save a photo on your phone, and consider sharing it with someone on your support team.

Relapse Prevention Plan Example

What does a relapse prevention plan look like once it’s filled in? Here is an example for Jordan, a fictional person who has been sober from alcohol for six months and has a family wedding coming up.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline provides free, confidential treatment information and referrals 24/7.

Your plan will look different, and that’s OK. Use the template above and fill in what is true for you.

What to Do If a Relapse Happens

Whether you are early in recovery or have been working on it for years, a relapse does not erase your progress. It is a reason to seek support and reassess your treatment needs.

It also helps to understand the difference between a slip and a relapse. Either way, these steps can help you get back on track:

1. Get safe. Put distance between yourself and the substance, and leave the place where it happened if you can do so safely. Do not drive while impaired. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. If you have been drinking heavily or notice withdrawal symptoms, seek medical guidance before trying to stop on your own.
2. Call someone on your support team. Reach out to the first person on your list. You don’t have to explain everything at once. Simply saying “I used again and need help” can be your first step back.
3. Contact your treatment provider. A counselor or doctor can help you decide what kind of support you need now. For some people, that means more meetings or therapy sessions. For others, it may mean an outpatient program, aftercare support, or a different level of care.
4. Update your plan. Look at what led up to the relapse. Was there a trigger or warning sign you missed? Add it to your plan, along with what you will do differently next time.

If you are worried about someone else, learn what to do when your loved one relapses.

Rehabilitation centers such as Sunshine Behavioral Health can help you take the next step. A relapse prevention plan, along with ongoing treatment and support, can help you manage triggers and work toward lasting recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should Be in a Relapse Prevention Plan?

A relapse prevention plan should include your reasons for recovery, your triggers, and your early warning signs. It should also list what you will do instead of using, who you can call, your daily routine, and upcoming high-risk events. Finally, add relevant treatment details, the steps you will take if you use again, and emergency contact numbers.

Can You Provide a Printable Relapse Prevention Plan?

Yes. You can copy or print the free relapse prevention plan template above and fill it in by hand. It has space for each part of your plan, from triggers to emergency contacts. Keep a copy somewhere you can easily find it and consider sharing it with someone on your support team.

What Are the Different Models of Relapse Prevention?

Cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention helps people identify high-risk situations and build coping skills. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention combines these skills with mindfulness practices. A 2009 pilot trial involving 168 adults found promising results for reducing substance use and cravings compared with usual treatment.

How Long Should a Relapse Prevention Plan Be?

Your plan can be as short as one page. What matters most is that it is easy to read when a craving hits. Use short phrases instead of long sentences. For example, you can write “call Sam” instead of a full paragraph. You can always add more detail as you learn what works for you.

How Often Should I Update My Relapse Prevention Plan?

Review your plan every few months, and update it after any big change, such as a new job, a move, a breakup, or a slip. Your triggers and goals may shift as your recovery grows. Going over your plan with a counselor or sponsor can help you spot anything you missed.

Sources

1. Melemis, S. M. (2015). Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 88(3), 325–332.
2. Bowen, S., Chawla, N., Collins, S. E., et al. (2009). Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Substance Use Disorders: A Pilot Efficacy Trial. Substance Abuse, 30(4), 295–305.
3. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. To Cut Down or to Quit. Rethinking Drinking.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA’s National Helpline.