Relapse prevention

You can prevent a relapse if you pay close attention to your feelings and behaviors. Try to learn those feelings, thoughts, and actions that may be leading you toward a relapse. These include:

Feelings:

• Anxiety
• Anger
• Feeling irritable
• Feeling sorry for yourself
• Denial

Thoughts:

• Downplaying how your past use affected you and others
• Glamorizing drinking or using other drugs
• Fantasizing about using or having a drink
• Thinking about the places where you drank or used

Actions:

• Hanging around the people you drank or used with
• Hanging out in places where you used to drink or use
• Shutting out people who support your recovery

The good news is that you can do many things to deal with uncomfortable feelings and thoughts. Taking these steps can help to prevent you from using again:

• Tell someone you’re feeling irritable, angry, or lonely.
• Tell someone if you’re having thoughts about past use, or urges to use.
• Get enough sleep, exercise, and eat well.
• Learn what makes you to want to drink or use drugs and avoid those people, places, and things.
• Make a list of the positive things in your life—no matter how small.
• Do something to distract yourself in the moment. Call a friend in recovery, go for a walk, eat a sweet snack, clean, watch TV, write in a journal, or go to a meeting.
• Wait for 30 minutes. Most urges last for less than 15 to 30 minutes. Distract yourself (see above), breathe deeply, and remind yourself it will pass.

Feeling connected to others is an important way to prevent relapse. Support groups and recovery communities across Massachusetts can provide recovery tools to maintain your new way of life. Talk with a Helpline Specialist at 800.327.5050 to find services to support your recovery.