Relapse Prevention Plan
Pull your triggers, warning signs, coping skills, support people, and emergency plan into one clear document you can turn to when things get hard.
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.
- 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.
Relapse Prevention Plan 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.