Recovering from an addiction takes time. It is an on-going process and at times, there may be a tendency toward relapse. Relapse is a process of becoming emotionally, mentally, and physically dysfunctional in ways that, if left unattended, may lead back to old addictive behaviors. It may help to know that the relapse process doesn't happen suddenly; there are warning signs that can help a person to make some behavioral changes before it is too late.

1. Emotional Relapse

During this first stage of relapse, an individual's emotions and behaviors start to set him or her up for a full relapse in the future. Triggers may include: stress; becoming overwhelmed by feelings and emotions; the death of a friend or family member; marital and family problems; feelings of loneliness, shame, guilt, anger, and abandonment; people's reactions to the changes you are making in your life; and/or fear of change and/or living without the old addictive habits. These are just a few of things that may trigger a relapse. As a result, the individual begins resorting to old methods of coping, including: anxiety, intolerance, anger, defensiveness, mood swings, isolation, not asking for help, not going to meetings, and poor eating and sleeping habits.

2. Mental Relapse

During mental relapse, the individual begins to think about old addictive behaviors, and the associated people, places and things. Other signs of mental relapse include: lying, glamorizing and fantasizing about the addictive behaviors of the past, and thinking about and planning your relapse around other people's schedules. At this stage, it becomes harder to make the right choices, and the pull of old addictive behaviors becomes stronger.

3. Physical Relapse

It doesn't take long to go from thinking about old addictive behaviors to physical relapse. Left unattended, this relapse process may end in physical or emotional collapse, suicide, or self-medication through old addictive habits.

The CENAPS Model of Relapse Prevention Therapy

At Catholic Social Service, the CENAPS Model of Relapse Prevention (Center of Applied Sciences developed by Terence Gorski) is used to help clients recognize their own warning signs so that they don't return to addictive behaviors after their initial treatment. The primary goals of this approach include:

1. Stabilization: The relapse prevention process begins only after the individual has stopped the addictive behavior, and is in control of themselves, able to think clearly, remember things, and manage his or her feelings and emotions.

2. Assessment: The individual completes a comprehensive self-assessment of life, addiction, and relapse history in order to determine his or her global lifestyle patterns that contribute to relapse.

3. Identification of Warning Signs: A personalized list of warning signs is constructed that indicate when the individual is relapsing from stable recovery back to addiction.

4. Management of Warning Signs: Management strategies are developed for the critical warning signs.

5. Recovery Planning: A structured recovery program is developed that will help the individual to identify and manage the critical warning signs as they occur.

6. Early Intervention Plan: A relapse early intervention plan is developed for the individual and his or her family and friends that provides step-by-step instructions to interrupt addictive behaviors.

7. Follow-up: Warning sings will change as an individual progresses through recovery, and a relapse prevention plan needs to be updated regularly: monthly for the first three months, quarterly for the first two years, and annually thereafter.

Through this process, relapse prevention therapy gives each individual the tools to recognize and manage his or her own warning signs of relapse so they can interrupt the relapse progression early, and return to a positive progression of recovery.

For more information about the Relapse Prevention Therapy Program, or to set up an appointment, please contact Hattie Stein by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at 620-227-1584.