Drug and alcohol relapse prevention

A relapse prevention plan is a living, personalised roadmap for how you’ll manage your recovery in real life, especially when things get hard. At The Hader Clinic, we build each plan with you, not for you. It’s based on your history, your risks, and your strengths. Your plan will include:

• A clear list of your personal relapse triggers (people, places, routines, feelings).
• Coping strategies you can use in the moment when things feel overwhelming.
• A network of support professionals, peers, and loved ones you can reach out to.
• Relapse prevention tools like self-talk reframes, grounding techniques, and daily routines that stabilise your mood and thinking.
• A flexible structure that changes with you. What works now might need to be adapted later, and that’s okay.

We revisit this plan regularly in one-on-one sessions and peer group counselling, not as a checklist but as an honest conversation about what’s working, what’s not, and where we can better support you.

Relapse usually doesn’t start with using. It starts quietly, in the background of your thoughts, routines, and feelings. At The Hader Clinic, we help you spot those early signs before they take over. Warning signs can include:

• You start avoiding support or skipping things that used to help, like meetings, calls, or daily structure.
• Your thinking changes. You might catch yourself romanticising the idea of drinking or using, minimising the risks, or saying “just once won’t hurt.”
• You feel emotionally flooded or disconnected, irritable, numb, restless, hopeless. And instead of talking about it, you withdraw.

If you notice these signs, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re in a risky moment, and that’s when your relapse prevention plan and support network matter most. We help you catch these moments early and work through them before they escalate.

Cravings are a normal part of recovery but they don’t have to control you. At The Hader Clinic, we focus on giving you the tools, awareness, and community to manage cravings over time. Long-term craving support includes:

• Identifying your personal craving patterns and the triggers behind them.
• Practising mindfulness, grounding, and self-talk strategies to reduce the intensity.
• Learning how to surf the urge and acknowledge cravings without acting on them.

We also help you plan for high-risk moments and build lifestyle changes that reduce the frequency and power of cravings. These tools become part of your relapse prevention plan, alongside ongoing counselling, group support, and aftercare through our Hader at Home app.

Leaving residential care doesn’t mean facing recovery alone. In fact, we believe that aftercare is just as important as inpatient rehab treatment. That’s why we offer:

• Ongoing relapse prevention counselling, peer support groups, and structured check-ins.
• Personalised aftercare plans tailored to your risks, lifestyle, and long-term goals.
• Access to our outpatient programs, including the Hader at Home app, transitional housing, and weekly planning sessions.

We stay connected with you through every phase, helping you adjust your relapse prevention tools, rebuild confidence, and stay anchored in recovery. Many of our clients say the support they received after leaving care was the key to long-term sobriety.

Yes, and you’re not alone in that. Many of us have relapsed too. More than once. Relapse isn’t a failure; it’s feedback. It shows us what wasn’t working, what still hurts, and where we need more support. At The Hader Clinic, we meet you with compassion, not judgment. We revisit your relapse prevention plan, rebuild your support system, and help you work through the thoughts and triggers that led to this moment. No matter how many times you’ve tried, we’ll help you try again with new insight, new tools, and people who truly get it.

It starts with understanding that relapse isn’t about weakness. It’s about pain. People who relapse aren’t giving up. They’re overwhelmed. The best thing you can do is stay open and connected. Gently encourage them to talk about what happened, without jumping to fix it. Offer to help them contact a treatment provider, go to a meeting, or revisit their relapse prevention plan. At The Hader Clinic, we also support families through education, counselling, and honest conversations about boundaries, enabling, and recovery. You don’t have to do this alone, either.

The most important thing is to stay connected. After a relapse, people often feel ashamed, scared, and alone. Your role isn’t to fix them. It’s to remind them they’re still worth loving, and that help is still possible. Listen without interrupting. Encourage them to reach out to a treatment provider. Set boundaries if you need to, but don’t shut them out. At The Hader Clinic, we also offer family counselling and support so you can look after your own wellbeing while staying involved in recovery.

Yes. In fact, many people we support are living at home, working, or caring for others while still actively managing relapse risks. You don’t have to re-enter residential rehab to stay committed to recovery. We offer flexible options like outpatient rehab, peer support groups, and digital tools through the Hader at Home program. You can also join weekly relapse prevention planning sessions to stay grounded, supported, and proactive. Whether you’re coming out of a tough patch or simply need to feel more anchored, there are ways to reconnect without stepping away from your whole life.