close
Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Sep 3;88(3):325-32.
eCollection 2015 Sep.

Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery

Steven M Melemis  1
Affiliations
Review

Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery

Steven M Melemis. Yale J Biol Med. .

Abstract

There are four main ideas in relapse prevention. First, relapse is a gradual process with distinct stages. The goal of treatment is to help individuals recognize the early stages, in which the chances of success are greatest. Second, recovery is a process of personal growth with developmental milestones. Each stage of recovery has its own risks of relapse. Third, the main tools of relapse prevention are cognitive therapy and mind-body relaxation, which are used to develop healthy coping skills. Fourth, most relapses can be explained in terms of a few basic rules. Educating clients in these rules can help them focus on what is important: 1) change your life (recovery involves creating a new life where it is easier to not use); 2) be completely honest; 3) ask for help; 4) practice self-care; and 5) don't bend the rules.

Keywords: 12-step groups; Alcoholics Anonymous; Narcotics Anonymous; PAWS; abstinence stage; cognitive therapy; denial; denied user; emotional relapse; five rules of recovery; growth stage; high-risk situations; mental relapse; mind-body relaxation; mindfulness-based relapse prevention therapy; non-user; physical relapse; post-acute withdrawal; relapse; relapse prevention; repair stage; self-care; self-help groups; stages of recovery; stages of relapse.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Gorski T, Miller M. Staying Sober: A Guide for Relapse Prevention. Independence, MO: Independence Press; 1986.
    1. Brown S. Treating the Alcoholic: A Developmental Model of Recovery. New York: Wiley; 1985.
    1. Marlatt GA, George WH. Relapse prevention: introduction and overview of the model. Br J Addict. 1984;79(3):261–273. - PubMed
    1. Melemis SM. I Want to Change My Life: How to Overcome Anxiety, Depression and Addiction. Toronto: Modern Therapies; 2010.
    1. Melemis SM. A Relapse Prevention Video: Early warning signs and important coping skills. AddictionsandRecovery.org [Internet] 2015. Available from: http://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/relapse-prevention.htm .

LinkOut - more resources