Relapse prevention is often about impulse control. Many alcoholics and addicts have damaged the brain to an extent where normal responses to difficult situations are unlikely. Alcoholics developed patterns of thinking which imagine situations as out of their control and that leads to feelings of helplessness. The way alcoholics and addicts often deal with negative feelings is to drink and use. Since most of the imagined threats are completely false; if they just waited long enough the perceived threats would pass. Pausing and looking well before leaping are pragmatic approaches to anxiety. These two approaches actually prevent impulsive patterns of behavior.

Signs of possible relapse: