How to Make a Recovery Plan

Recovery Plan

It is essential to have a recovery plan to maintain recovery and prevent relapse.  Your recovery plan should be personalized to meet your needs.  A good way to make a recovery plan is to have a journal or notebook with a couple of pages for each item you include in your recovery plan.   You can even make a recovery plan on your computer.  If you use a program like Microsoft OneNote, you can even include audio and video in your recovery plan.  Here are a few suggestions for what you can include in your recovery plan.

• Support – Have a list of names of people you can call when you are under stress or having a craving.
• Relaxation Techniques – These are things that you can do when you are stressed.  Examples are meditation, yoga or deep breathing.
• Consequences – A list of what you will lose if you relapse will remind you of why you can’t use drugs.
• Goals – A list of what you hope to accomplish in recovery will help you stay focused.
• Gratitude List – This will remind you that you have much to be grateful for in your new recovery life
• Prayers – If you include spirituality in your recovery, a few written prayers will remind you to say them.
• Daily Inventory – This can help you raise your awareness of when you have made a mistake so you can correct your mistakes before they get worse.  You can also notice when you are slipping back into old thinking and behavior patterns.
• Emergency Numbers – You can have numbers for a counselor, a treatment program or recovery support.  These are people you can contact if you would relapse.  You want to have some numbers of people who will help you if you need it.
• Triggers – These are people. places and things that remind you of your addiction and can bring on cravings.  A list of triggers can remind you of what you need to avoid or prepare for if they cannot be avoided.
• Meeting List – A list of recovery meetings you can attend.  Try listing at least one meeting for every day of the week so you have lots of options.
• Coping Skills – A list of things you can do to cope with every day problems.
• Recovery Slogans – These are short and memorable phrases to remind you of recovery ideas.
• Inspirational Pictures – You can include some pictures of family members and children to remind you of what you have gained in recovery.
• Fun Activities – You can include a list of safe, fun activities to do when you get bored.  Boredom can lead to relapse.

If anyone has any other ideas for what to include in a recovery plan, please leave your ideas in a comment.  I would love to have feedback.  You never know who could be helped by your suggestion.

Related articles

• A Slip Doesn’t Have To Be A Relapse (challengingaddiction.wordpress.com)
• Coping Skills (themiracleisaroundthecorner.wordpress.com)
• Relapse Prevention (challengingaddiction.wordpress.com)

 

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