Key Points About Relapse
Prevention
Presented by:
Bob Newton, MS, LAADAC, CADAC II
Consultant, Betty Ford Center, SWA
Sixth Annual Providers Conference
April 19 & 20, 2012
Lynnwood Convention Center
Copyright © L. Days, 1996
Facts About Relapse
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You cannot relapse if you are not in recovery.
You usually relapse first on something other than your drug of
choice.
The higher your IQ the higher your addict IQ.
Relapse doesn’t mean you failed—it means your recovery
needs a tune-up.
The saying “relapse is part of recovery” doesn’t mean you get
to use.
Relapse is a process not an event. There is no such thing as a
“slip”.
Defining Recovery
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Recovery is a verb not a noun.
Recovery is a process not an event.
Most people who try to get clean fail.
Recovery is difficult.
Recovery is bio-psycho-social and spiritual.
Recovery is “taking good care of yourself”.
Recovery is…
“…the will to extend oneself for the purpose of
nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.”
- M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled
Developmental Model of Addiction
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Experimentation:
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Situational misuse:
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Problem use:
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Dependence:
Social use. I can take it or leave it. I
have no problems.
Drugs and alcohol make me a better
man in certain situations.
I use to cope with everyday life issues,
and I am having problems.
I continue to use despite knowing the
negative consequences, loss of control,
blackouts, tolerance and withdrawal,
lots of problems.
Developmental Model of Recovery
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Transitional:
Stabilization:
I have a problem, but I can control it.
I can’t control drugs/alcohol, and I need
to learn how to not use.
Early Recovery: Change playmates, playgrounds, and
playthings.
Middle Recovery: Balance.
Late Recovery:
Deal with unresolved childhood issues.
Maintenance:
Continue to nurture bio-psycho-social
and spiritual growth.
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual-Cultural
Biological
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Get proper amount of
rest
Eat a healthy diet
Regular doctor visits
Follow doctor’s
instructions
Regular dentist visits
Follow dentist’s
instructions
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Identify and manage
stress
Avoid nicotine
Avoid excessive
caffeine
Avoid drugs and
alcohol
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual-Cultural
Psychological
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See a therapist
Follow therapist’s
advice
Identify and manage
feelings
Identify and manage
stress
Identify core issues
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Intellectual challenge
Avoid negativity
Develop a sense of
purpose and meaning
Recognize cognitive
distortions
Nurture self-esteem
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual-Cultural
Social
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Positive friends
Healthy relationships
Working with sponsor
Having fun in recovery
Sober support system
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Able to love and trust
others
Able to be lovable
and trustworthy
Healthy family
relationships
Giving something back
to society
Relationship with self
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual-Cultural
Spiritual
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Prayer
Meditation
Reading spiritual
literature
Fellowship with
spiritual people
Attending spiritual
services
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Morals and values
Honesty in all your
affairs
Practice humility
Communing with
nature
Donating time and
money
Relapse Prevention Therapy
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Assessment (self and client)
Early intervention plan
Warning sign identification
Warning sign management
Revised recovery plan
Early Intervention Planning
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What will it look like when you start to bail out of
the treatment process?
What can I do to reel you back in?
Who should I call?
Do you have any high risk situations coming up in
the next six weeks?
Write letters from your sober self to…
The Relapse Process
Relapse is a process not an event.
relapse warning signs
Sentence Completion Exercise
I know my recovery is in trouble when I...
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Critical Warning Signs
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Pick the three most dangerous warning signs from
your list.
Are you doing any of these right now in your life?
If you identify something as a warning sign, treat it
accordingly. If you know a dog bites, treat him like he
bites!
The Revised Recovery Plan
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If your Recovery Plan isn’t addressing your issues, it
is just “busy work”.
Make a list of 10 concrete, specific, and
measurable activities that you do every week that
constitute your Recovery Plan.
- I work out at least an hour a day, four days a week.
- I go to a minimum of four AA meetings per week.
- I don’t eat after 8:00 p.m.
- I see my therapist every Thursday morning.
Top Three Warning Signs
for Late Stage Recovery
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Legitimate reason to take narcotics
Untreated or undiagnosed psychiatric condition
Unresolved childhood trauma
The Biggest Relapse Warning Sign of All…
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Addicts overestimate their recovery and
underestimate the power of their addiction.
Recovery Enhancement Program
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Monitoring
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