Individuals who relapse don't suddenly take that drink or use that drug.  Most experience warning signs that reactivate denial, causing pain and that self medicating with alcohol or drugs seems to be the only way to handle it.  This is not a conscious process.  Since most recovering people have never been educated on how to identify and manage the warning signs, they don't notice them.

Warning signs include:

1. Post acute withdrawal - thinking difficulties, emotional problems, sleep disturbances, memory problems, accident prone, and/or sensitivity to stress.
2. Denial - trying to convince themselves or others that everything is alright, when it is not.
3. Avoidance - avoiding people or becoming defensive and irritable with others.
4. Crisis building - can't solve problems; everyday problems become an issue.
5. Feeling stuck - feelings of nowhere to turn; feeling trapped.
6. Depressed - feeling down in the dumps; having low energy.
7. Loss of Control - starts using one or more of the following in an out of control manner: food, sex, caffeine, nicotine, work, gambling, etc.  May react without thinking of the consequences.
8. Cravings/Urges - starts thinking about justifications to drink/use drugs again.
9. Drinking/Using Again - starts using again to solve problems.  Feelings of having just one to take the edge off.

There is another important factor that contributes to relapse, and that is an environment or situation the recovering person may find themselves in.  The most common relapse dangers are:

a. Being in the presence of drugs or alcohol or people using drugs or alcohol, or where they used or bought drugs or alcohol.
b. Feelings of negativity, particularly anger - also sadness, loneliness, guilt, fear and anxiety.
c. Positive feelings that make you want to celebrate.
d. Boredom.
e. Physical pain.
f. Listening to drug/drinking (war) stories - keeping you in the past.
g. Suddenly having a lot of money.
h. Using prescription drugs that can get you high, even if taken as prescribed.
i. Believing that you no longer have to worry about using again; or believing that they can do other drugs or start drinking, because something new was not their original "drug of choice".