Guide to Creating a Relapse Prevention Plan

Your journey to recovery is definitely going to be bumpy. There will be plenty of obstacles that could come up on your way to sobriety, the biggest one of them being a relapse. While plenty of people will relapse once, seek the necessary care once again, and go on to live their lives free of their addiction, you should still work on preventing a relapse if possible. That’s why the best drug and alcohol treatment centers in Florida advise that you work on creating a relapse prevention plan that will keep you away from any mishaps. If you are not sure how to do that, all you have to do is stick with us until the end of this article.

What is a relapse prevention plan – and the importance of having one?

There are times when a relapse is a spur-of-the-moment decision. But most often, relapsing is a process that unfolds over the course of time. Did you know that a relapse can be emotional, mental, and physical, and all of them could have you asking questions like ‘does Amerihealth cover drug rehab‘ once again? That’s why it’s important to gather all the right tools in order to prevent relapse from happening. And that’s where a relapse prevention plan enters the scene.

This plan is going to be your best ally after leaving a rehab facility. This plan should contain a few important aspects, such as your triggers, your actions, and your plans for the future. Since a relapse prevention plan is of such crucial importance for your future, it’s important to spend enough time making one. If you didn’t mind asking every rehab facility that you contacted ‘does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover drug rehab,’ then you shouldn’t mind spending your time on a relapse prevention plan.

Once your plan is finalized, there’s one very important thing you need to do – share it with your loved ones. More precisely, share it with that person that didn’t mind providing a helping hand with all the things that have preceded your stay inside a treatment facility. That friend who didn’t hesitate to contact different facilities to find out ‘does Humana cover drug rehab‘ is worth his or her weight in gold. That friend is going to be on your side after leaving a rehab facility, and they will monitor you closely for any signs of relapse. Just don’t forget to say thank you once you feel that you are back on your own two feet.

Five steps to creating a relapse prevention plan that actually works

Having a plan is great. But having a good plan is going to be excellent. Not just any plan will be enough to keep you away from a lengthy stay inside a drug rehab Palm Beach facility. What you need to do is take all the necessary steps that, when put together, are going to result in a watertight plan. The five steps to success are as follows.

1. Take a look at your history with drugs and alcohol

Whether you are currently inside a drug or alcohol rehab Florida facility, there are probably many things that have led to you being where you currently are. And since you are currently in rehab, then it’s safe to say that you have a certain history with drugs and/or alcohol. Well, as much as you might want to ignore it, that’s the last thing you should do. It just so happens that every good relapse prevention plan begins with a close analysis of your history of drug or alcohol abuse.

The reason for this is simple. By taking a look at everything that has happened from the moment you’ve started using drugs or alcohol, you will be able to fix many of your previous mistakes. For example, you’ll be able to notice certain patterns and triggers. Every person has their own triggers, which can range from work-related stress to strained relationships. By identifying yours, you’ll take a significant first step in keeping yourself out of a crack cocaine rehab facility in the future.

We suggest that you pay particular attention to the people who were around you when you were abusing drugs or alcohol the most. If you are able to notice a few people who seem to enable your substance use, then make sure to blocklist them. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t good people. It just means that their presence could have you reaching out for a meth rehab Palm Beach center once again.

2. Make a list of your goals and aspirations

If you are currently in a partial hospitalization program Florida rehab centers have to offer, then your only goals and aspirations are to get better. And that’s more than enough for now, as your journey to recovery is going to be a long and exhausting one. However, once you finish treatment, which you will at some point, it’s going to be necessary to slowly get back to your normal life. And that entails having dreams, goals, and aspirations that help you keep going forward.

That’s why we suggest that you use the time you have now to create a relapse prevention plan that won’t leave any room for error. For that to happen, we advise you to take a few days to really think about your future after leaving an Oxycodone rehab center. What do you see yourself doing long-term? Is there a particular career that’s of interest to you? Do you wish to start a family or rebuild the relationships that have been left strained by your addiction? Every goal that you have is a good one, as long as it includes sobriety and excludes substances.

Of course, we also suggest that you come up with a plan on how to achieve all of those goals and aspirations. Having dreams is great, but having a specific plan on how to reach them is even better. Mind you that this plan doesn’t have to be detailed, although it can. As long as you make an outline of what needs to happen after leaving our Adderall addiction rehab Boynton Beach center, you can’t go wrong.

3. Focus on the warning signs of relapse when creating a relapse prevention plan

Sometimes, all the warning signs that something bad is going to happen are there. However, we don’t want to see them or acknowledge their existence. If you are coming out of a singles or couples rehab in Florida, the last thing you should do is ignore your problems. Instead, you should face them bravely and in a timely manner. That’s why we recommend that you sit down and list all the warning signs of relapse.

If you have ever been in a situation where you have relapsed, then you most likely know what are the symptoms that can lead to problems. But if you don’t, we will gladly give you a short list of symptoms that you have to be aware of:

• Cravings
• Isolation
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Irritability
• Secretive behavior

Things such as disheveled appearance and financial problems begin after your relapse. What we think would be very beneficial is sharing this list with your close friend or family member. Do you know that person that helped you inquire does insurance cover drug rehab? Well, that person most certainly has your best interest in mind. Thus, they will monitor you closely for any signs of relapsing. Once they notice that you are acting in a certain way, they won’t hesitate to bring your attention to it. That will give you a chance to take a step back and assess your behavior. Therefore, you should never underestimate the power of a good friend during rehab.

4. Decide how you plan to act in difficult situations

If you have followed all of the steps to creating a relapse prevention plan that we have listed so far, then you have a good idea of what triggers your addiction. Likewise, you also know how you can act if you ever find yourself on the verge of a relapse. But what you don’t yet know is what you plan to do in order to prevent anything bad from happening. More precisely, what do you plan to do when the difficult times roll around (and they will) and keep yourself out of rehab?

Just think back to the first time when you had to look for a rehab center, ask questions like ‘is rehab covered under FMLA,’ and pack your belongings for admissions. While you knew that this was a mandatory step in your journey to sobriety, you most likely did not enjoy it. In order to keep yourself away from facing that situation once again, we suggest that you create a plan of action for these difficult situations. Do you plan to pick up your phone and call a friend once you find yourself facing problems? Will you dedicate more time to your hobbies and favorite pastime activities? Will you schedule additional therapy sessions? Or will you immerse yourself in work?

Know that we support any coping mechanism, as long as it’s a healthy one. For example, immersing yourself in your work-related responsibilities can be a good solution short-term. But if you keep doing it long enough, it can become a source of additional problems, as you can suffer from burnout. Thus, choose something that’s sustainable in the long run and stick to it whenever you face a situation that you know can trigger your addiction.

5. Keep an open and positive mind

Have you ever heard how someone was on the brink of death yet their fighting spirit managed to help them overcome the injury or illness? Well, there’s plenty of truth to it, as people who are positive can overcome almost every hurdle thrown their way. And even if a problem is so big that a positive mindset can’t fix it, it’s certainly going to be much easier to solve it without negative thoughts clouding your judgment. Thus, the fifth and final step to creating a relapse prevention plan has everything to do with your outlook on life.

Take even a simple question such as ‘does Tricare cover alcohol rehab‘ as an example. If you are getting ready to ask this question thinking that the answer is going to be no and if you already imagine yourself spending tens of thousands of dollars on rehab, you might inflict so much stress on yourself that you give up on rehab altogether.

On the other hand, if you ask ‘does Aetna cover rehab‘ and you prepare yourself for a positive answer, then you will be more motivated to pack your bags and start your treatment. Of course, there’s no telling whether the answer to questions such as these ones will be what you were hoping for, but you get the point. You’ll certainly gain nothing from worrying about a problem beforehand.

Spend as much time as you need creating your relapse prevention plan

After all, time is the one thing you will have while spending your days inside a rehab facility. And since you’ve already gotten the difficult questions such as ‘does Cigna cover alcohol rehab‘ out of the way, you can fully focus on your relapse prevention plan. Creating a relapse prevention plan isn’t supposed to be a quick activity. Quite the contrary – feel free to spend as much time on it as necessary. After all, you are working on a plan that will greatly shape your future.