During the course of uni- and bipolar disorder, episodes of relapse alternate with episodes of remission, in which patients can function with relative few symptoms. Many patients who experienced one or more manic and/or depressive episodes, have fear for a relapse. They often don't know exactly what to do to prevent a relapse or to restrict the damage. In this paper a strategy is described to develop, in cooperation with the patient, a so called `emergency plan' and how to use this plan. In such an emergency plan, symptoms indicating a relapse and preventative measures in order to limit the damage or even prevent the full blown recurrence of a relapse are described. This treatment approach is a way to get a grip on fear for a relapse as well as on the occurrence or severity of the relapse itself. A clinical vignette is given and experiences with such a plan are discussed.