Relapse Prevention Plan, Common Causes Of Relapse In Each Phase Of Addiction Recovery

Do you possess relapse prevention plan skills to handle the most frequent causes of alcohol and drug relapse? Read on to learn the 3 phases of getting sober and the common, preventable pitfalls of each.
With the best of intentions, a great number of folks entering sobriety will relapse.
Getting sober can be seenas having 3 phases, each with its goals and growth opportunities. there are certain dangers present that need to be identified and planned for. Let’s analyze each of these 3 phases.
Phase 1, Early Recovery Phase
Entering early recovery the object at its simplest is abstinence from all mood altering chemicals. Stop using. When we do that, certain areas of new knowledge need to be addressed to establish a relapse prevention plan:
1. Knowledge of addiction and its global effects must be learned.
2. Skills to refuse drink and drugs and to cope with abstinence must be learned and practiced.
3. A large sober social support system must be started and created.
People entering early abstinence need to learn how to practice, thinking, feelings and behaviors based in recovery principles to replace those formed while actively drinking or drugging.
The major cause of going back to drinking and drugging during the phase 1, or the early recovery period is not developing effective recovery and social skills that are needed to build an abstinence and recovery based lifestyle.
Phase 2, Middle Recovery Phase
The major goal of personal growth in middle recovery is establishing a balanced lifestyle. A major objective is to start to identify the wreckage of the past and start to address it. Ceasing to drink and drug in phase 1, it is time to turn to developing personal growth and maturity. Stress can sometimes escalate as the person returns to ‘the real world’. Items often addressed to establish a relapse prevention plan:
1. Doing personal work to reestablish self-esteem and self-worth.
2. Repairing injured relationships with family and friends.
3. Re_entering society in a safe, healthy and productive way.
The major cause of going back to drinking or drugging during the middle recovery period is handling emotions and relationships generated by life problems.
Phase 3, Later Recovery Phase

In the later phase of recovery, people work hard to bring about changes to remove historical or continued blocks to a satisfying life. This is the arrival at a ‘happy, joyous and free’ place in life. Choices are made according to a sound and newly developed sense of morality, ethics and purpose. This is a phase of personal growth and movement forward in life. Items worked to establish a relapse prevention plan include:
1.Indentifying and changing self-sabotaging and self-defeating behaviors.
2. Looking at the sources of personality development.
3. Addressing and resolving family of origin issues.
The major cause of going back to drinking and drugging during phase 3, or the late recovery period, is either the lack of ability to cope and work through the emotional stress of unresolved family of origin issues or avoiding the need to change one’s lifestyle and behavior into one of health and growth.
And those are just the major relapse dangers in each phase of recovery. To learn about the 5 mistakes most often encountered in recovery click Relapse Prevention Plan to claim our free 5 part mini-course.