Relapse Prevention Plan Worksheet: Map Your Triggers and Coping Skills
Pull your triggers, warning signs, coping skills, support people, and emergency plan into one clear document you can turn to when things get hard.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
About this tool
A relapse prevention plan is a personalized roadmap for staying on track and for knowing exactly what to do when risk rises. It comes from the relapse prevention model developed by Alan Marlatt, which reframed relapse not as a sudden moral failure but as a process that usually unfolds in stages, with warning signs that appear well before any substance use. If you can spot those signs early, you have time to act.
Relapse tends to begin emotionally, with stress, isolation, or poor self-care, long before any conscious thought of using. Then comes the mental stage, where ambivalence and cravings grow and the mind starts bargaining. The physical stage, actual use, is usually the last link in a chain, not the start of it. A good plan maps this chain for you specifically, so you recognize your own early signals and intervene while it is still easy.
It is just as important to plan for a slip, because shame is what turns a single slip into a full return to use, an effect Marlatt called the abstinence violation effect. A lapse is a setback to learn from, not proof that you have failed. Your plan should include a calm, prepared response: what you will do, who you will call, and what you will tell yourself, so that one hard moment does not become many.
A finished plan is only useful if you can get to it fast, so keep the PDF somewhere reachable, a phone note, a wallet card, or taped inside a cabinet, not buried in a folder you would have to search for under stress. Revisit it every few weeks, and especially after any close call or slip: triggers and warning signs shift as your life changes, and a plan you wrote six months ago may miss what is going on for you right now.
If you find yourself hitting warning signs repeatedly despite following your plan, or if cravings feel bigger than the coping skills you have listed can handle, that is a sign to bring the plan to a counselor, sponsor, or addiction therapist rather than keep revising it alone. They can help you build in additional structure, such as more frequent support meetings or a higher level of care, and the SAMHSA National Helpline is available around the clock if you need to talk something through right away.
References
- Marlatt GA, Donovan DM. Relapse Prevention: Maintenance Strategies in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviors. 2nd ed. Guilford Press; 2005.
- Witkiewitz K, Marlatt GA. Relapse prevention for alcohol and drug problems. Am Psychol. 2004;59(4):224-235.
- Gorski TT, Miller M. Staying Sober: A Guide for Relapse Prevention. Herald House; 1986.
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 14). Relapse Prevention Plan Worksheet. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tools/relapse-prevention-plan
Relapse Prevention Plan Worksheet FAQ
What is a relapse prevention plan?
A personalized roadmap that gathers your triggers, early warning signs, coping skills, support people, and an emergency plan in one place, so you know what to do when risk rises.
What are warning signs of relapse?
Often emotional and behavioral changes that appear before any use: isolating, skipping routines and support, poor sleep, rising stress, irritability, and romanticizing using. Spotting them early gives you time to act.
What should I do if I slip?
Treat it as a setback to learn from, not a failure. Stop, get safe, reach out to your support person, be kind to yourself, and return to your plan right away. Shame is what turns one slip into many.
Is my information saved?
No. Everything stays in your browser and nothing is uploaded. The PDF is created on your own device.
How often should I update my relapse prevention plan?
Check it every few weeks, and update it right away after any close call or slip. Your triggers, warning signs, and support network change as your life changes, so a plan you wrote months ago may no longer match what actually puts you at risk today.
Is a relapse prevention plan the same as a safety plan?
They overlap but focus differently. A relapse prevention plan maps triggers, warning signs, and coping skills specific to substance use, while a safety plan is typically built around suicide risk. If you are at risk of harming yourself, use a safety plan and reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.