Top 5 Triggers for Relapse (and How to Handle Them)

Relapse rarely arrives without warning. It usually follows a pattern that can be recognised and planned for.

Five triggers come up again and again: unmanaged stress; difficult emotions such as anger, loneliness or boredom; people and places tied to past use; overconfidence after a period of stability; and physical exhaustion or poor sleep.

Each one has a practical response — a routine, a phone call, an exit plan, a group meeting, an earlier bedtime. Written down in advance, these responses are far easier to reach for in the moment.

Sharing your plan with someone else turns it from a good intention into accountability.