An essential part of recovery is learning how to cope with challenging situations substance-free. If you are in recovery for substance abuse, you likely will face situations that may heighten your risk for relapse. Recovery can be challenging, but support is available when you need it.
The better you can recognize high-risk situations, the greater your chance of staying on track for a successful recovery.
Please note: The term โaddictโ is an outdated label that has historically been used to describe individuals living with substance use disorder (SUD). Today, healthcare professionals and advocacy organizations encourage person-first language, such as โpeople with substance use disorder,โ as it reduces stigma and better reflects the medical nature of the condition.
What Are High-Risk Situations in Recovery?
A high-risk situation is any event that threatens a successful recovery. Whether a consequence of your surroundings or emotional state, high-risk situations may threaten your recovery in various ways. For example, a circumstance that stirs up unpleasant emotions such as loneliness, isolation, depression or anxiety may cause you to feel as if thereโs no hope without drugs or alcohol.
The Risk for Relapse Falls Into Three General Categories
Relapse risk generally falls into three categories:
- Low-risk occurrences:
Low-risk situations consist of circumstances in which you are not likely to relapse. For instance, revisiting a place or time during your active addiction period in which you did not consume drugs or alcohol.
- Moderate-risk situations:
These situations include times when you could be triggered to misuse drugs or alcohol.
- High-risk incidents:
High-risk situations include circumstances, emotions, or environments most strongly linked to past substance use.
High-Risk Situations to Avoid in Recovery
A high-risk situation can be interpersonal, situational, or emotional. Examples include:
- Interpersonal conflict:
Interpersonal conflicts can result in negative emotional states. These may, in turn, increase a recovering addictโs risk for relapse. Examples of these high-risk situations include having an argument with a spouse or loved one, financial disagreements or marital problems.
- Social pressure:
Social situations can test your self-control during recovery. Examples include, but arenโt limited to, being offered drugs while walking home or to your place of work, attending parties where alcohol and drugs are present and watching others use drugs or alcohol.
- Negative emotional states:
Negative emotional states can be risky for those in recovery. While activities such as meditation, exercise or listening to music can help you avoid negative emotions, sometimes these feelings still pop up. Boredom, sadness, anger, anxiety and stress are all common emotional experiences people in recovery face.
- Positive emotional states:
While positive emotional states should, of course, be celebrated, itโs still important to stay aware of relapse risk. Feeling confident about a promotion at work, celebrating a milestone or feeling nostalgic about a place that brings back good memories can represent high-risk emotional states.
Common Examples of High-Risk Situations
Common high-risk situations for people in recovery include:
- Severe stress at home or in the workplace.
- Having extra cash on hand.
- Fatigue or exhaustion.
- Feelings of anger, boredom, helplessness, loneliness, anxiety, or guilt.
- Dwelling on past mistakes.
- Believing that you can safely return to substance use while doubting you have a substance use disorder.
- Hearing others talk about the โgood timesโ using drugs or alcohol.
- Being around people, places, and situations previously associated with your substance abuse.
- Using mood-altering drugs such as sleeping pills, marijuana, tranquilizers, or alcohol.
- Engaging in other addictive behaviors such as compulsive working, eating, gambling, or sexual encounters.
How to Cope With High-Risk Situations as a Recovering Addict
Terry Gorski, a well-known relapse prevention specialist, outlined several key steps that go into creating a relapse prevention plan:
- Stabilization: Embark on the first steps on your path to recovery.
- Assessment: Identify and resolve any negative thinking or behavioral patterns that contributed to past relapses.
- Relapse education: Understand the process of relapse.
- Warning signs identification: Make a list of triggers and situations that increase relapse risk. When you understand the warning signs of relapse, itโs easier to stay on track.
- Warning signs management: Create a coping strategy to deal with the triggers or signs outlined in the previous step.
- Recovery planning: Initiate conversations and activities with people who will help you resist temptations and previous tendencies.
- Inventory training: Establish routines to evaluate, anticipate, and avoid high-risk situations.
- Family involvement: Involve your family if you can, as this can have a powerful impact on helping you sustain your sobriety.
- Follow-up: Remember that recovery is an ongoing process. Review your triggers and implement coping strategies on an ongoing basis.
Develop a Relapse Prevention Plan
Sometimes, itโs not always possible to avoid high-risk circumstances in recovery. In these cases, having a relapse prevention plan in place can help you respond to triggers in responsible, healthy ways.
Coping plans for high-risk situations should be highly detailed and tailored to specific occurrences. These occurrences will depend on the high-risk situations you think may trigger you to use drugs or alcohol.
Build a Recovery Circle
Building a recovery circle is a powerful way to avoid high-risk situations. Having people you can contact during stressful moments can make relapse prevention feel more manageable. A recovery circle should include:
- Support groups.
- Counselors.
- Health professionals.
- Friends and family members whom you trust.
Benefits of Joining a Support Group for Recovering Addicts
By joining a support group, you can learn what strategies have been successful for others in recovery, and have a safe place to talk about challenges and progress.
You can choose from several groups, many of which involve a 12-step process. These include:
- Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
- Gamblers Anonymous (GA).
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
- Adult Children Anonymous (ACA).
- Cocaine Anonymous (CA).
- Marijuana Anonymous (MA).
Other support groups not based on the 12 steps include Secular Organizations for Sobriety, Women for Sobriety, and SMART Recovery.
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FAQs
What are high-risk situations in recovery?
High-risk situations in recovery are events, emotions, places, or social settings that may increase the risk of relapse. Recognizing these situations early can help you respond with healthy coping strategies and support.
What are common relapse warning signs?
Common relapse warning signs include increased stress, isolation, cravings, changes in mood, spending time around people or places connected to past substance use, and thinking you can safely return to substance use.
How can I avoid high-risk situations for relapse?
You may not be able to avoid every high-risk situation, but you can prepare for them. A relapse prevention plan, trusted support system, counseling, and healthy coping skills can help you manage triggers before they become overwhelming.
What should be included in a relapse prevention plan?
A relapse prevention plan should include your personal triggers, warning signs, coping strategies, trusted contacts, treatment resources, and steps to take if you feel at risk of relapse.
Can support groups help prevent relapse?
Support groups can help many people feel less alone in recovery. They offer a safe place to share experiences, learn from others, and build connections with people who understand the recovery process.
When should I reach out for help?
You should reach out for help if you feel overwhelmed, notice warning signs of relapse, experience strong cravings, or feel unsure about how to stay safe in recovery. Support is available, and asking for help is a positive step.
