90-Day Breaking Addiction Protocol: The Neuroscience-Based Recovery System

How this programme adapts

Once a week, the player runs a short check-in and reads the week you actually logged — not the week the plan assumed. Every check-in lands on one of the adjustments below. These are the engine's own rules, rendered word for word.

Consolidation week
Not enough entries yet to adjust your plan. This week holds everything steady and keeps the focus on your craving skill and one if-then plan, with support close and nothing new added until the foundation is solid.
Lowering the bar
This week was hard. We reduce the daily commitment to the smallest steps and lean more on your support. The goal this week is staying connected to the plan, not doing everything.
Holding steady
Momentum is low, which is normal on a hard road. This week keeps your current plan and focuses on your craving skill, your kind restart, and reaching out. No new work until it feels steadier.
Building on it
You stayed with the work consistently this week. We add the next scheduled step. Keep your support close as you build.
On track
Your entries are in the normal range. This week keeps your current plan and layers in the next scheduled step.

Pattern insights are gated behind your own record: the first unlocks after 5 logged days, and every insight states the evidence it stands on. Milestone reviews at day 30, day 60, day 90 read your whole record and choose their coaching from it.

The 90-day programme map

Every day of the programme, in full — the same steps the interactive player walks you through. Expand a week to read its days.

Month 1 — Foundation · Days 1–30

Understand your pattern with kindness, learn to ride cravings, and clear your cues

Week 1Understand the PatternDays 1–7

Day 1 · Start With Safety 15 min

Before anything else, this programme is educational support, not medical treatment. If you may be physically dependent on a substance, some withdrawal can be dangerous, so today is about making sure you have the right professional care in place. There is no shame in getting help.

If you may be physically dependent, contact a physician or treatment service before making any changes to your use
Write one line on why this change matters to you

Day 2 · Map the Pattern 15 min

This first week is for understanding, not stopping. Today you look honestly at when the behaviour happens, without judgement. A clear picture of the pattern comes before any change.

Note when the behaviour happened today and what was going on around it
Mark the time or situation it showed up most

Day 3 · Notice the Craving Shape 10 min

A craving is not a permanent state; it tends to rise, peak, and pass. Noticing its shape is the first step to riding it. Today you simply watch one.

When a craving arrives, note how it built and whether it faded on its own
Write roughly how long it lasted

Day 4 · Find the Triggers 10 min

Places, people, times, and feelings can all act as triggers through learned association. Finding yours shows what to plan for. Today you list them.

List the situations, people, and feelings that tend to trigger the behaviour
Mark the two strongest triggers

Day 5 · See the Loop 10 min

An addictive behaviour usually runs as a loop: a cue, the behaviour, and a short-lived relief or reward. Seeing your loop shows where it can be interrupted. Today you map it.

Write your loop: the cue, the behaviour, and what it seems to give you
Note which part feels easiest to change

Day 6 · Name Your Support 10 min

Change is far harder alone, and reaching out is a strength, not a weakness. Naming the people and services you can lean on builds your safety net. Today you gather them.

List the people or services you could reach out to for support
Note one you could contact this week

Day 7 · Week One Review 15 min

You have a week of honest observation. Before changing anything, take stock of your pattern, triggers, and loop. A clear baseline makes the work concrete and kind.

Read back your notes from days one to six
Write the two triggers you will tackle first
Confirm the support you will keep close

Week 2Mapping TriggersDays 8–14

Day 8 · Sort the Triggers 15 min

Triggers come from your surroundings and from inside you, and the two need different handling. Sorting them shows where to act. Today you separate them.

Sort your triggers into external ones and internal ones such as moods
Note which type you meet most often

Day 9 · Track the High-Risk Times 10 min

Certain times of day or week carry more risk than others. Tracking them lets you prepare rather than be caught out. Today you map the timing.

Note the times of day or week when the urge is strongest
Mark the single highest-risk window

Day 10 · Spot the Early Warning 10 min

A craving often has early signs before it peaks, such as a thought or a restlessness. Spotting them early gives you more room to respond. Today you learn your signs.

Note the earliest sign that a craving is starting for you
Write what tends to come just before the urge

Day 11 · Map the People and Places 10 min

Some people and places are tied tightly to the behaviour. Mapping them shows which to approach carefully. Today you chart them.

List the people and places most linked to the behaviour
Mark which you can adjust and which you cannot

Day 12 · Find the Feeling Underneath 15 min

Behind many urges is a feeling the behaviour has been used to manage, such as stress, boredom, or loneliness. Naming it opens other ways to meet it. Today you look underneath.

For your strongest urges, note the feeling that tends to sit under them
Write one line on what that feeling is asking for

Day 13 · The Trigger Map 10 min

Your week of tracking can now become one clear map of what sets the behaviour off. A single map makes the plan concrete. Today you assemble it.

Combine your notes into one map of triggers, times, and feelings
Mark the three you will plan for first

Day 14 · Week Two Review 15 min

You spent the week mapping what drives the behaviour. Take stock of the clearest patterns. Keep the map close as you begin to change things.

Read back this week's trigger notes
Confirm the triggers you will address first

Week 3Riding the CravingDays 15–21

Day 15 · Name the Wave 15 min

Naming a craving as it arrives creates a small gap between the urge and the action. That gap is where choice lives. Today you practise naming.

When a craving comes, silently name it: this is a craving, and it will pass
Note whether naming it changed how it felt

Day 16 · Surf, Don't Fight 15 min

Fighting a craving can make it louder, while observing it lets it rise and fall. Surfing the urge means staying with it without acting. Today you ride one out.

When an urge comes, stay with it and watch it without acting, as it rises and falls
Note how long it took to ease

Day 17 · Breathe Through It 10 min

Slow breathing can steady the body while a craving passes. It gives you something to do with the moment other than act. Today you use it.

During a craving, take slow breaths until the peak passes
Note whether the breathing helped you wait it out

Day 18 · Delay and Distract 10 min

A craving often fades if you can put a short delay between it and the action. Filling the delay with something absorbing helps. Today you practise the pause.

When an urge hits, delay acting and do something absorbing for a short while
Note whether the urge was weaker after the delay

Day 19 · Urge Without Judgement 10 min

Judging yourself for having a craving adds shame on top of the urge. Meeting it plainly, as just a craving, keeps you steadier. Today you drop the judgement.

When a craving comes, notice it without labelling yourself as weak or bad
Note the difference between the urge and the judgement of it

Day 20 · Reach Out in the Moment 10 min

A craving is easier to ride when you are not alone with it. Reaching out to someone in the moment breaks the isolation. Today you practise it.

When an urge is strong, message or call someone from your support list
Note whether contact helped the urge pass

Day 21 · Week Three Review 15 min

You spent the week learning to ride cravings rather than fight them. Take stock of which methods helped you wait them out. Keep the ones that worked.

Read back this week's notes on cravings
Confirm the craving skill worth keeping

Week 4Clearing the CuesDays 22–30

Day 22 · Remove the Obvious Cues 15 min

Because cue-driven urges are hard to resist directly, removing the cue is often more practical. If you may be physically dependent on a substance, confirm with a physician that stopping suddenly is safe for you before you remove your access to it. Today you clear a few of the most obvious cues.

Remove or put out of reach the most obvious cues tied to the behaviour
Note whether fewer cues meant fewer urges

Day 23 · Change the Setting 15 min

Settings tied to the behaviour keep triggering it. Changing where you spend time, even a little, weakens the association. Today you shift one setting.

Adjust one place linked to the behaviour, or spend that time elsewhere
Note whether the change reduced the pull

Day 24 · Handle the People Cues 10 min

Some people are strongly tied to the behaviour, which does not make them bad, only risky right now. Handling those contacts with care protects your change. Today you plan for one. If spending time with this person puts your safety at risk, the plan may be to avoid contact for now — that is also a valid choice.

Decide how you will handle time with a person linked to the behaviour
Note a boundary or plan that keeps you steadier

Day 25 · Break the Time Cue 10 min

A behaviour tied to a specific time keeps its own appointment. Filling that time with something else breaks the standing cue. Today you reclaim one.

Plan a different activity for your highest-risk time today
Note whether filling the time reduced the urge

Day 26 · Add Friction 10 min

Putting a few obstacles between you and the behaviour makes it less automatic. Friction buys a moment to choose. Today you add some.

Add steps that make the behaviour harder to start on impulse
Note whether the added effort reduced impulsive use

Day 27 · Soften the Internal Cues 10 min

Internal cues such as stress or boredom cannot be removed like objects, but they can be met differently. Softening them lowers their pull. Today you tend one.

When an internal trigger such as stress rises, meet it with a calming action instead
Note whether tending the feeling reduced the urge

Day 28 · Prepare and Enlist 15 min

An environment set up for the change quietly supports it all day, and a supportive person makes it safer still. Setting up your space and involving one person in the same session makes both changes concrete. Today you do both.

Arrange your main environment so the behaviour is harder and support is closer
Ask someone to help you remove or avoid a cue you find hard
Note which of the two changes helped most

Day 29 · Lock In the Cue Changes 10 min

A week of cue work deserves a moment of review before the month closes. Confirming which changes held and which need shoring up lets you carry a clear picture into month two. Today you check and lock in your changes.

Review this week's cue changes and note which held and which still triggered the behaviour
Pick one cue change you will keep through month two

Day 30 · Camp I Reached 20 min

One month complete. You have understood your pattern, mapped your triggers, learned to ride cravings, and cleared many cues. This is real work, and reaching here matters. Take stock before the next phase.

Read back your week reviews from the first month
Write two sentences on what has changed and what has been hard
Confirm the craving skill, the cleared cues, and the support you carry into month two

Month 2 — Optimisation · Days 31–60

Build a replacement, make plans for high-risk moments, and cope with stress

Week 5Building a ReplacementDays 31–37

Day 31 · Choose the Replacement 15 min

Leaving a gap where the old habit was tends to invite it back, so a replacement gives the cue somewhere else to go. Choosing one is the first step. Today you pick it.

Choose a new, healthier action to do when your main cue appears
Note why it could meet the same need

Day 32 · Attach It to the Cue 15 min

A replacement works when it answers the same cue the old habit did. Attaching it to that cue lets it capture the trigger. Today you link them.

When your main cue appears today, do the replacement action instead
Note whether the replacement eased the urge

Day 33 · Make It Satisfying 10 min

A replacement that gives you something real is easier to keep than a hollow one. Making it satisfying helps it stick. Today you improve it.

Adjust your replacement so it genuinely gives you something you value
Note whether the more satisfying version held better

Day 34 · Repeat It in Context 10 min

A new behaviour becomes more automatic when repeated in the same context. Consistency is what builds the new loop. Today you repeat it.

Do your replacement in the same situation as yesterday
Note whether it felt any more automatic

Day 35 · Have a Backup Replacement 10 min

One replacement will not fit every moment, so a backup keeps you covered. Having options prevents a gap. Today you add one.

Choose a second replacement action for when the first does not fit
Use it once today and note how it worked

Day 36 · Replace the Reward 10 min

The old behaviour offered a reward, and the replacement holds better if it offers one too. Finding the honest reward in the new action strengthens it. Today you name it.

Note what genuine reward your replacement gives you
Lean into that reward when you do it

Day 37 · Week Five Review 15 min

This week built a replacement for the old habit. Take stock of which replacements met the cue best. Keep the ones that held.

Read back this week's notes on replacements
Confirm the replacement worth keeping

Week 6Plans for High-Risk MomentsDays 38–44

Day 38 · Write the First If-Then 15 min

Deciding in advance what you will do when a craving or trigger appears means you meet it with a plan, not a split-second choice. An if-then plan makes it concrete. Today you write one.

Write a plan: when [trigger] happens, then I will [specific response]
Use it the next time the trigger appears

Day 39 · Plan for the Strongest Trigger 15 min

Your hardest trigger deserves its own prepared response. Planning for it in advance turns a danger point into a handled one. Today you plan for it.

Write an if-then plan for your single strongest trigger
Rehearse the response in your mind

Day 40 · Plan the Escape Route 10 min

Sometimes the safest response to a high-risk situation is to leave it. Deciding your exit in advance makes leaving easier. Today you plan one.

For a high-risk situation, decide in advance how you will leave if you need to
Note the earliest point you could step away

Day 41 · Plan for Social Pressure 10 min

Being offered the substance or behaviour by others is a common high-risk moment. A prepared response takes the pressure off. Today you ready one.

Write what you will say and do if someone offers or pressures you
Practise the words until they feel natural

Day 42 · Plan for the Low Moment 10 min

Low moods and hard days are when old habits present themselves as relief. A plan for those moments keeps you steadier. Today you prepare for one.

Write an if-then plan for what you will do on a low or hard day
Note the first supportive step it names

Day 43 · Carry the Plans With You 10 min

A plan only helps if it is available when the moment comes. Keeping your plans close makes them usable. Today you carry them.

Put your key if-then plans somewhere you can reach in the moment
Note whether having them close helped

Day 44 · Week Six Review 15 min

This week built plans for your high-risk moments. Take stock of which plans you actually used and how they held. Keep and sharpen the ones that worked.

Read back this week's plans
Confirm the high-risk plan worth keeping

Week 7Stress and CopingDays 45–51

Day 45 · High-Stress Pre-emption Plan 15 min

Stress often arrives with warning signs before it peaks. Identifying your next likely stressful period and activating your support before it arrives is steadier than waiting for the crisis. Today you plan ahead and put support in place.

Identify the most likely stressful situation in the coming week and write it down
Contact at least one person from your support list before the stress peaks
Write one if-then plan for how you will hold your replacement when pressure rises

Day 46 · Stress-Proof the Replacement 15 min

A replacement that only runs when life is easy is fragile. Adapting it so it can still work when you are stretched, tired, or under pressure makes it durable. Today you stress-test and adjust it.

Write how your replacement routine would need to change to still work on a hard day
Try a pared-down version of the replacement today and note whether it held

Day 47 · Meet the Need Differently 10 min

The behaviour has met a real need, such as calm, escape, or comfort. Finding another way to meet that need reduces its pull. Today you try one.

For the need under your urges, find one other way to meet it
Note whether meeting the need eased the craving

Day 48 · Care for the Basics 10 min

Sleep, food, and movement all affect how well you handle stress and urges. Tending the basics steadies the ground under the change. Today you tend one.

Improve one basic today: rest, a proper meal, or some movement
Note whether it changed how you coped

Day 49 · Lower the Load 10 min

An overloaded life leaves little room to resist an urge. Reducing one source of pressure creates space for the change. Today you lighten something.

Remove or postpone one source of pressure this week
Note whether the lighter load helped

Day 50 · Lean on Support Under Stress 10 min

Stress is exactly when reaching out matters most and is hardest to do. Leaning on support under pressure protects your change. Today you practise it.

When stress builds today, contact someone from your support list
Note whether sharing it helped

Day 51 · Week Seven Review 15 min

This week worked on stress and coping. Take stock of which skills helped you meet stress without the old behaviour. Keep the ones that worked.

Read back this week's notes on stress
Confirm the coping skill worth keeping

Week 8Deepening the ChangeDays 52–60

Day 52 · Combine the Tools 15 min

Your craving skills, cleared cues, replacements, and plans work best together. Combining them for a hard situation is the aim of this phase. Today you use several at once.

For one high-risk situation, use your craving skill, a plan, and a replacement together
Note whether the combination held better

Day 53 · Strengthen the Weak Point 10 min

One weak point, an unmanaged trigger or a missing plan, can undo the rest. Finding and strengthening it protects the whole. Today you shore it up.

Identify where the change is most likely to break down
Add a cue change or a plan for that point

Day 54 · Keep the Loop Running 10 min

Each day the replacement runs instead of the old habit, the new loop grows. Every repetition builds the new normal. Today you keep it going.

Keep your replacement running through today's cues
Note where it now feels more automatic

Day 55 · Rebuild a Relationship 10 min

Addictive behaviours often strain relationships, and repair is part of recovery. Reaching toward one person, at your pace, rebuilds support. Today you take one small step. Only where this is safe and appropriate for both parties. If the relationship involved harm or you are unsure, speak with a counsellor before making contact.

Take one small step to reconnect with someone the behaviour affected
Note how the step felt

Day 56 · Reclaim a Lost Activity 10 min

The behaviour often crowds out things you once valued. Reclaiming one restores a source of meaning that competes with the old habit. Today you bring one back.

Bring back one activity the behaviour had pushed aside
Note whether it added something the old habit did not

Day 57 · Guard Recovery With Rest 10 min

Changing an entrenched behaviour is tiring, and rest is part of sustaining it. Treating recovery as part of the work protects your progress. Today you rest on purpose.

Take a genuine, restoring break today rather than pushing through
Note whether the rest steadied you

Day 58 · Phase Two Stocktake 15 min

Two-thirds of the way in, an honest audit shows what has held and what still needs work. It sets the direction for the final phase, with kindness. Today you take that look.

List the skills and changes that now feel steadier
List the one or two situations that still feel risky

Day 59 · Line Up Extra Support 20 min

As the programme moves into its final phase, more support makes the gains durable. Lining up ongoing help, such as a group or a professional, protects the change. Today you arrange some.

Look into one ongoing support, such as a group or a professional service
Note one you could commit to beyond this programme

Day 60 · Camp II Reached 20 min

Two months complete. You have built replacements, made plans for high-risk moments, and worked on stress and support. This is hard, meaningful work. The final month makes the change robust and part of who you are.

Read back your reviews from month two
Write two sentences on how far you have come and what remains hard
Confirm the tools and support you carry into month three

Month 3 — Mastery · Days 61–90

Recover from slips, build robustness, and root the change in your values

Week 9Recovering From SlipsDays 61–67

Day 61 · Expect the Possibility 15 min

A slip is a common part of changing an entrenched behaviour, not proof of failure. Expecting the possibility removes its power to end everything. Today you prepare for it, gently.

Write down that a slip is possible and is not the end of your progress
Note the smallest step that would count as getting back on

Day 62 · The Kind Restart 15 min

Meeting a slip with harsh self-blame tends to make the next step harder, while self-compassion has been linked with more motivation to recover. A kind restart is steadier than a punishing one. Today you rehearse it.

Rehearse how you will restart after a slip, without self-punishment
Write the first kind thing you would say to yourself

Day 63 · Learn From the Moment 10 min

A slip usually points to a trigger or gap you can now address. Reading it turns a setback into information. Today you look, without blame.

If a slip happens, note what led to it, as information not judgement
Adjust one plan or cue so that path is less likely

Day 64 · Break the Shame Spiral 10 min

Shame after a slip can drive more of the behaviour, turning one lapse into many. Breaking the spiral early protects your progress. Today you practise the interruption.

If shame rises after a slip, name it and return to your next small step
Note whether stopping the spiral helped you recover

Day 65 · Reach Out Straight Away 10 min

Slips are easier to recover from when you are not alone with them. Reaching out straight away shortens the setback. Today you plan that call.

Decide who you will contact quickly if you slip, and how
Note why telling someone early helps

Day 66 · Return to the Plan 10 min

After a slip, returning to your existing plans is faster than building new resolve. The plan is already there. Today you practise the return.

After any slip, go straight back to your if-then plans and replacement
Note what made returning easier

Day 67 · Week Nine Review 15 min

This week built a steady, kind way back from slips. Take stock of what makes your recovery reliable. Keep the approach that felt sustainable.

Read back this week's notes on recovery
Confirm the restart approach worth keeping

Week 10Building RobustnessDays 68–74

Day 68 · Plans for the Hard Days 15 min

Certain days, anniversaries, conflicts, or celebrations, carry more risk. Planning for them in advance keeps you steady. Today you prepare for one.

Choose an upcoming high-risk day and write a plan for it
Note the support you will have in place

Day 69 · Widen Your Coping 10 min

A single coping tool can fail on a given day, so a range of them makes you robust. Widening your options covers more situations. Today you add one.

Add one new way of coping to your existing set
Note when the new option would help most

Day 70 · Protect the Change From Others 10 min

A shared life can reintroduce cues and pressure unless boundaries are clear. Protecting your change keeps it intact. Today you set a boundary. Choose a relationship where this conversation is safe. If the dynamic is volatile or there is a history of harm, work with a counsellor or support service first.

Agree one boundary with others that protects your progress
Note whether the boundary held

Day 71 · Rehearse the Refusal 10 min

Refusing an offer is easier when the words are already practised. Rehearsing keeps you steady under pressure. Today you drill it.

Practise your refusal until it feels natural and calm
Note whether rehearsal made it easier to imagine using

Day 72 · Stress-Test the Change 20 min

Your change earns trust by holding through a genuinely difficult day. Facing one with your tools ready shows where it bends. Today you meet it prepared.

Write in advance which high-risk situation you will face this week and the tools you will use for it
Note which tools held and which needed backup

Day 73 · Recover the Ground 10 min

After a hard stretch, returning to your full set of skills takes a deliberate step. A planned return restores your footing. Today you practise it.

After any difficult stretch, deliberately return to your full routine of skills
Note what helped you steady again

Day 74 · Week Ten Review 15 min

This week made your change robust against hard days. Take stock of which plans carried you through. Keep the ones that held.

Read back this week's notes on robustness
Confirm the plans and boundaries worth keeping

Week 11The Self-Sustaining ChangeDays 75–81

Day 75 · Write Your Plan Down 20 min

A plan you can name is one you can return to under pressure. Writing yours down gathers eleven weeks into something you can hold. Today you record it.

Write your full plan: triggers, craving skills, replacements, if-then plans, and support
Keep it somewhere you can reach in a hard moment

Day 76 · Make the Supports Permanent 15 min

The support that helped through the programme should continue beyond it. Making it permanent keeps the change held. Today you commit to it.

Commit to one ongoing support that will continue after this programme
Note how you will keep it going

Day 77 · The Weekly Check-In 15 min

A short weekly check keeps the change tended without a crisis. It catches drift early. Today you set the ritual.

Choose a weekly moment to review how you are doing and adjust
Run the check once and note what it surfaced

Day 78 · Keep the Recovery Plan Close 10 min

A durable change still needs a plan for the slips that may come. Keeping the recovery plan close makes the return automatic. Today you bind it in.

Add your kind-restart plan to your written plan
Note the first step back it names

Day 79 · A Month on Your Own Plan 20 min

Whether the change is steady or still hard, this week leans on your own plan and support rather than adding new steps. Today you begin and watch what holds and what still needs help.

Rely on your own plan and supports through the coming week
Note where it held on its own and where it needed help

Day 80 · Reach Back to Help Someone 10 min

Supporting someone else can strengthen your own change and give the work meaning. Reaching back, when you are ready, deepens recovery. Today you consider one way.

Note one way you could support someone facing a similar struggle, when ready
Write what your experience could offer them

Day 81 · Week Eleven Review 15 min

This week made your change self-sustaining. Take stock of whether it now holds with less daily effort. Keep the supports that work.

Read back this week's notes on the self-sustaining change
Confirm the parts that now run on their own

Week 12Identity and ValuesDays 82–90

Day 82 · The Person You Are Becoming 20 min

Lasting change holds better when it is part of who you take yourself to be. Seeing yourself as someone moving beyond the behaviour supports the choice. Today you take that view, gently.

Write one sentence describing the person you are becoming through this change
Note where acting from that identity would change a daily choice

Day 83 · Reconnect With Your Values 15 min

The behaviour often pulled you away from what you value. Reconnecting with those values gives the change a direction beyond avoidance. Today you name them.

Write two or three values the behaviour had crowded out
Note one action today that honours one of them

Day 84 · Plan the Next Ninety Days 20 min

The programme ends but the change continues. A plan carries it forward with support in place. Today you set the direction.

Write where you want your recovery to go over the next three months
Set the first supportive step you will take

Day 85 · Guard Against Complacency 15 min

Feeling recovered can quietly lower the guard that protects the change. Naming the guardrails keeps you steady. Today you set yours.

Name the signs that you are letting your guard down
Write what you will do when you notice them

Day 86 · Strengthen the Support Web 15 min

A wider web of support is more robust than a single thread. Strengthening it protects the long road. Today you add to it.

Add one person or service to your ongoing support
Note how you will stay connected to them

Day 87 · Your Anchor Practice 20 min

One practice you return to daily anchors the whole change. Choosing it makes recovery a steady fixture. Today you name it.

Choose the one daily practice you will keep no matter what
Write why it matters most to you

Day 88 · A Plan for the Long Road 20 min

Recovery is a long road, not a finish line, and planning for its length keeps you realistic and kind. Naming what lies ahead prepares you. Today you look far.

Note the challenges you expect on the longer road and one plan for each
Write what will remind you why the change is worth it

Day 89 · Rest and Acknowledge 15 min

Before continuing, it is worth pausing to acknowledge how hard this work has been and how far you have come. A deliberate rest lets it settle. Today you rest and recognise it.

Take a genuine break today and acknowledge the effort you have made
Write one line recognising how far you have come

Day 90 · Summit Reached 25 min

Ninety days complete. You have built a set of skills, plans, and supports for moving beyond an entrenched behaviour, grounded in published research and carried with real courage. The programme ends here; the recovery, and the support around it, continues. Reaching out for help remains a strength at every stage.

Read back your day-one notes, your two camp reviews, and your written plan
Write one sentence on what this work has changed
Confirm the one practice and the ongoing support you will carry forward

The evidence

The frameworks this programme is built on — each anchored to peer-reviewed research, cited with its DOI and verified against the Crossref registry at build time. Where the evidence has honest limits, the framework says so.

Riding the Craving

Bowen, S., Witkiewitz, K., Clifasefi, S.L., et al. · JAMA Psychiatry · 2014

Mindfulness-based relapse prevention teaches people to observe a craving as a passing wave, noticing it without acting on it, rather than fighting or feeding it. In a trial comparing relapse-prevention approaches, this mindfulness-based programme was associated with lower rates of heavy use at longer follow-up. Learning to let a craving rise and fall is a core skill this programme builds, alongside professional support where needed.

DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4546

Witkiewitz, Marlatt & Walker, 2005 — An early account of applying mindfulness practices to relapse prevention for substance use. doi:10.1891/jcop.2005.19.3.211

Triggers and Cues

Conklin, C.A., Tiffany, S.T. · Addiction · 2002

Cues linked to past use, such as places, people, or times of day, can set off craving through learned association, and research on extinction suggests these associations are stubborn and context-specific. Because cue-driven urges are hard to unlearn directly, changing the environment to meet fewer cues is often more practical than resisting them. Mapping and reducing your own triggers is an early focus of this programme.

DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00014.x

Sinha, 2007 — Stress is described as a common trigger for craving and relapse, which is why coping with stress is treated as part of the work. doi:10.1007/s11920-007-0050-6

Breaking the Habit Loop

Wood, W., Rünger, D. · Annual Review of Psychology · 2016

A habit is a learned link between a cue and a response, reinforced over time, which is one part of why addictive behaviours can persist even against a person's intentions, alongside neurobiological factors that professional support addresses directly. Research on habit suggests that changing the surrounding context and building a new response to the old cue are more effective than willpower alone. This programme works on the loop rather than treating the behaviour as a failure of character.

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417

Adriaanse, Gollwitzer & De Ridder, 2011 — If-then plans that specify a new response to an old cue were associated with weakening unwanted habits. doi:10.1177/0146167211399102

Plans for High-Risk Moments

Gollwitzer, P.M. · American Psychologist · 1999

An implementation intention is an if-then plan that ties a specific situation to a prepared response, and has been associated with people following through on their intentions more reliably. For high-risk moments, deciding in advance what you will do when a craving or a trigger appears means you meet it with a plan rather than a split-second choice. Building these plans is central to the middle of this programme.

DOI: 10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493

Achtziger, Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2008 — If-then plans helped shield goal striving from unwanted thoughts, feelings, and temptations. doi:10.1177/0146167207311201

Building a Replacement

Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C.H.M., Potts, H.W.W., Wardle, J. · European Journal of Social Psychology · 2010

Research on habit formation found that a new behaviour, repeated in a consistent context, gradually becomes more automatic. Broader work on habit suggests that simply leaving a gap where an old one was can invite its return, so building a replacement to meet the same cue gives the loop somewhere else to go. This programme has you grow a new routine rather than only removing the old one.

DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.674

Wood & Neal, 2007 — Habits are tied to recurring contexts, so a replacement anchored to the same context can capture the old cue. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843

Recovering From a Slip

Neff, K.D. · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · 2011

Self-compassion, meeting a setback with the kindness you would offer a friend, has been associated with better emotional well-being and less harsh self-criticism. A slip is a common part of changing an entrenched behaviour, and harsh self-blame can make the next step harder rather than easier. This programme builds a steady, non-judgemental way back so a slip does not become a full return.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00330.x

Breines & Chen, 2012 — Self-compassion after a failure was associated with greater motivation to improve. doi:10.1177/0146167212445599

Safety & fit

This 90-day protocol is a structured, educational programme — it is not medical advice and is not a substitute for professional treatment. If you may be physically dependent on alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, or another substance, stopping suddenly can be dangerous: please consult a physician or a qualified treatment service before making changes. Every framework it draws on is referenced to peer-reviewed literature for educational context only.

Who should check first

['Physical dependence on alcohol, benzodiazepines, or opioids (stopping suddenly can be dangerous — medical supervision is required)', 'A current substance-use disorder diagnosis under active treatment', 'Pregnancy', 'A history of seizures or delirium during past withdrawal']

If this work stirs up thoughts of harming yourself, or withdrawal feels unsafe, talk to someone now — find a helpline in your country at findahelpline.com; in the UK call Samaritans on 116 123, free, any hour. This programme is educational and never a substitute for professional care. https://findahelpline.com

Questions, answered

How much time does this take?

The Breaking Addiction Protocol runs 90 days across 12 themed weeks. Each day asks for between 10 and 25 minutes of deliberate practice — the daily tasks are listed in the programme map on this page, so you can read the whole arc before you start.

How does the programme adapt to my week?

A weekly check-in reads the week you actually logged — not the week the plan assumed. Depending on the week you actually had, it lands on one of 5 adjustments: Consolidation week; Lowering the bar; Holding steady; Building on it; On track. Milestone reviews at day 30, day 60, day 90 read your whole record so far.

Where is my progress stored?

Entirely in this browser. Your daily log, notes, and check-ins live in local storage on this device — no account, no server, and nothing you type is transmitted. You can export your full log as a CSV file or delete everything, at any time, from the My log tab.

Is this medical advice?

No. This is a structured, educational programme built on peer-reviewed research — it is not medical advice, therapy, or a substitute for professional guidance. The full disclaimer, and every framework the programme draws on with its DOI, is on this page.

What happens if I miss days?

The programme is built to absorb real weeks. The weekly check-in works from whatever you logged: a thin week adjusts the plan rather than failing you, and no adjustment ever deletes your record. The adaptation rules above describe exactly how each kind of week is handled.

Where does the evidence come from?

Every phase of the programme is grounded in 6 evidence frameworks — 12 peer-reviewed references in total, each cited with its DOI in the evidence section on this page and verified against the Crossref registry at build time. Where the evidence has honest limits, the framework says so.

Go deeper

Hand-picked companions to this programme from across the estate — the baseline tool, the research deep dives, and the terms worth two minutes each.

assessment The Breaking Addiction Assessment A baseline reading before day 1 — retake it after the programme and compare.
deep-dive Sugar and the Brain The neuroscience of the most common compulsive loop, mapped.
article Digital Detox Science What actually happens when you block the apps — the evidence.
glossary Dopamine What it actually does in your brain — beyond the pop-science version.

Programme record

A living programme keeps a public record. Any future change to the daily tasks, the check-in rules, or their thresholds bumps the version and lands here.

v1.0 · July 2026Initial published programme: 90 daily practices across three phases, weekly adaptive check-ins, and milestone reviews at days 30, 60 and 90.