Relapse prevention and management

The prevention and management of relapse has become a central theme in the research and literature of the addiction behaviours. The major focus of this work has been on identifying relapse precipitants and equipping clients with appropriate coping strategies. Such a focus either ignores or plays down the importance of the individual's decision-making processes: both the quality of the initial decision to change and the role of decision-making in any return to the behaviour are essential ingredients of an understanding of relapse. In reviewing the process of relapse within a context of 'giving up addiction behaviour', a model can be developed with clear clinical implications. This model emphasizes the role of decision-making interacting with a client's resources and coping skills. The paper includes a summary examination of a clinical programme based on this model.