Top Strategies for Preventing Relapse in Addiction Recovery

In July 2025, singer AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys gave a candid interview to Fox News about celebrating four years of living in “straight sobriety.” The founding member of the most successful boy band of all time was in and out of rehab for two decades. He calls himself a “chronic relapser” whose journey to recovery hasn’t followed a straight path. Although McLean went through more lapse episodes than full relapse crises, he acknowledges having dodged many bullets along the way. He hasn’t been to prison or arrested for driving under the influence, and he’s now focused on achieving sobriety through relapse prevention.

Preventing Relapse as a Practical Aspect of Recovery

Recovery journeys have a variety of different aspects. The 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, for example, has strong spiritual and emotional aspects. Detoxification and rehabilitation are clinical aspects. Sober living homes are part of a more practical aspect of the recovery journey. All aspects share a common factor in preventing relapse. AJ McLean strongly believes in working to avoid lapsing or relapsing as the key to completing his journey. This is a straightforward and highly practical approach to recovery. It boils down to savoring each day you didn’t get drunk or high.

Strategies for Relapse Prevention

Detoxification and rehabilitation centers prevent relapse through direct enforcement. When you’re discharged from rehab, you may enter a sober living home or continue your recovery through an outpatient program. A facility like a Solana Beach sober living home provides a structured environment that substantially reduces relapse risks. In outpatient programs, the strategies are largely behavioral, and it’s up to you to make them practical.

Managing Triggers

AJ McLean has described this strategy, which is cognitive and behavioral, as an essential part of staying sober. Internal triggers are thoughts, emotions, or sensations that prompt cravings. External triggers are the people, places, or things you associate with substance abuse. Identifying triggers is crucial when developing adequate coping skills.

Stress Management and Emotional Regulation

These strategies are addressed during various stages of your recovery journey. Stress is a prime trigger that can be alleviated through mindfulness, amusement, exercise, yoga, and other activities. Emotional regulation can be learned through counseling, talk therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

HALT Checks

Feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT) can trigger cravings. The HALT check strategy consists of assessing what you can do to meet basic needs instead of allowing them to devolve into stressors.

Building a Strong Support Network

This practical strategy is highly recommended by addiction recovery professionals. A strong support network should include peers, trusted individuals, and professionals. Your peers at Alcoholics Anonymous and other fellowships will always be there to help you avoid relapse. Trusted individuals may include close friends, relatives, and spiritual leaders. Addiction recovery professionals include therapists, counselors, and sobriety coaches. AJ McLean leans on his bandmates, family members, and counselors whenever he feels weak or vulnerable. This strategy has helped him avoid relapse more than once in the last four years.

If you’re newly sober and you need help with avoiding relapse, call on the compassionate team at Casa Pacifica. Along with providing men’s sober living in Solana Beach, we work with our individual residents to develop customized plans that integrate treatment, aftercare, and recovery support. Our services include sober companionship, coaching, and mentorship for those who are recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. For more information about our sober living facilities, call us today.