One cognitive strategy is to recite a mantra selected and rehearsed in advance. A behavioral strategy is to call and engage in conversation with a friend or other member of your support network. If you are at a gathering where provocation arises because alcohol or other substances are available, leave. Cravings can intensify in settings where the substance is available and use is possible. Being alone with one’s thoughts for too long can lead to relapse. Winter can feel stagnant, but recovery milestones continue.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
You may have spent many hours in rehab talking about your addictions and life, discovering what you have in common, and planning your sober future after rehab. Your friend has decided to give up on sobriety and continue using drugs or alcohol. In addiction treatment, relapse is when someone begins using a substance after a period of abstinence. A relapse can occur after a few weeks of abstinence or after years. Anywhere from 40–60% of people with addictions are estimated to relapse at some point.
What Are the Most Common Relapse Triggers?
- Physical capital encompasses stable housing, financial security, and safe environments.
- Ultimately, resilience and a well-rounded approach combining coping skills and support are central to minimizing the risk of relapse.
- Stopping substance use removes a coping tool, but without replacing it with healthy support, the emotional pain remains.
By practicing present-moment awareness, clients learn to respond to triggers with curiosity instead of fear, reducing the intensity and frequency of relapse-driving impulses. But what about from those suffering from a dual diagnosis, such as addiction and anxiety? The truth is that these contemplative techniques were not created as relapse prevention strategies, but as holistic ways of living. They were practiced to overcome anxiety about the weather and what it might do to the crops, to deal with difficult relationships, to celebrate the birth of a child, to overcome illness. Detox may be medically necessary, especially for alcohol and benzodiazepines, where withdrawal can be dangerous.
How relapses inform better recovery strategies
By addressing these issues, treatment providers can improve outcomes and support long-term recovery for those struggling with substance use disorders. The changes in brain chemistry make quitting incredibly difficult. The user experiences cravings and withdrawal symptoms that can be physically painful or emotionally distressing. Without treatment or support, relapse rates are high because addiction alters fundamental brain circuits involved in judgment, learning, memory, and behavior control. Relapse refers to the return to substance use following a period of abstinence or reduced use. It is a common occurrence in the trajectory of addiction recovery and does not represent personal failure or treatment inadequacy.
Slip vs. Return to Ongoing Use
For example, if social gatherings with certain friends lead to temptation, it may be necessary to avoid those events initially. Keeping a trigger diary can help track patterns and develop awareness. Located in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, Dunham House is a residential treatment centre specializing in addiction and providing support to individuals with concurrent mental health challenges. We are the only residential facility of our kind in Quebec that operates in English. Recovery improves when family and community are part of the addiction relapse plan.
Winter weather relapse risks are often underestimated in addiction recovery planning. For individuals in recovery, these environmental stressors may intensify cravings, depressive symptoms, and emotional vulnerability. Holiday gatherings can add exposure to alcohol, family conflict, or financial pressure. Travel limitations and inclement weather may reduce access to meetings, therapy, or peer support. Understanding the seasonal patterns that influence relapse risk allows individuals, families, clinicians, and communities to strengthen protective strategies before vulnerability escalates.
During recovery, there can be many signs of a potential relapse before the individual actually begins using again. Think about triggers, emotions, or events that led you to relapse. People return to using alcohol or drugs in this final stage. At this stage, people experience an internal struggle to resume substance use and the desire to remain sober. Many health professionals view relapse as a process instead of a sudden event. People can experience Substance abuse one or more relapses before they succeed.
Relapse Prevention Program: Identification, Action, & Community Support
It’s normal to experience cravings and challenging moments when you’re recovering from an addiction. Learning to recognise the warning signs of relapse can help you to take preventative action. Drugs or alcohol can permanently change how your brain functions if you have a substance use disorder. This can make it feel like you can’t control your thoughts or desires. Even if you know you don’t want to use substances, it might feel like your brain is playing tug-of-war with you. If you or a loved one has experienced a relapse, you can speak with your doctor or similar healthcare provider for medical advice about what treatment option you might need to get back on track.
Anxiety, depression, trauma, and identity struggles frequently underlie substance use. If these conditions resurface without treatment, relapse risk increases. Ongoing therapy and emotional skill-building provide resilience.
What Are the Most Common Relapse Triggers
Following relapse, immediate priorities include ensuring physical safety, halting further substance use, and reconnecting with clinical support without delay or self-punishment. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention helps people in recovery develop a new relationship with cravings, thoughts, and emotional discomfort. Rather than trying to suppress urges or “power through” them, mindfulness teaches clients how to notice internal experiences without reacting automatically.