Triggers
Name 2 types of triggers
Multiple answers
HALT is a tool reminding individuals to check for these four states that can increase relapse risk.
What is hungry, angry, lonely, tired?
Define high risk situations.
Being around friends who are actively using drugs or alcohol is an example of this type of situation.
This DBT skill teaches you to focus on the present moment without judging your thoughts, feelings, or urges.
What is minduflness?
In this stage, a person is thinking about change but feels unsure or ambivalent about taking action.
What is contemplation?
I'm a failure because I relapsed."
Correction: A relapse is a setback, not a definition of who you are. Recovery is a process, and setbacks can provide learning opportunities.
Feelings such as stress, anger, sadness, or loneliness that may increase urges to use substances.
What are emotional triggers?
Define Emotional Regulation.
This skill involves recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions in a healthy way instead of reacting impulsively.
This recovery skill involves developing a specific plan for how to respond when faced with triggers and high-risk situations.
What is a relapse prevention plan?
When experiencing a craving, this DBT skill encourages you to observe the urge without acting on it until it passes.
What is mindfulness?
In this stage, a person is thinking about change but feels unsure or ambivalent about taking action.
What is Contemplation?
"I've hurt people, so I don't deserve recovery."
Correction: Everyone deserves the opportunity to heal and make positive changes, regardless of past mistakes.
Thoughts like "One time won't hurt" or "I deserve a drink after today" are examples of these.
What are internal triggers?
This is the ability to recognize and accurately identify what emotion you are experiencing in the moment.
What is emotional awareness?
Thoughts such as "I can handle just one drink" or "I've earned it" are examples of these relapse risks.
What is rationalization, justification, or permissive thoughts.
This skill helps people get through a crisis by changing body chemistry through temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation.
What is TIPP?
This feeling focuses on believing "I am a bad person" rather than "I made a bad choice."
What is shame?
"If I can't do recovery perfectly, there's no point in trying."
Correction: Progress, not perfection, is the goal. Small steps forward still count.
A strong urge or desire to use a substance, often triggered by thoughts, emotions, or environments.
What is a craving?
This DBT skill focuses on tolerating intense emotions without making the situation worse through substance use.
What is distress tolerance?
Returning to bars, liquor stores, casinos, or neighborhoods associated with substance use can create this type of risk.
What is an environmental high-risk situation?
This skill involves accepting reality as it is rather than fighting against things that cannot be changed.
What is radical acceptance?
This stage occurs when a person is not yet considering making a change and may not see their substance use as a problem.
What is Precontemplation?
"Nobody cares about me or wants to help me."
Correction: Addiction often creates isolation, but support is available through family, friends, peers, and treatment professionals.
This recovery skill involves identifying a trigger, examining thoughts and feelings, and developing a plan to prevent relapse.
What is trigger mapping?
This emotional regulation technique teaches individuals to observe emotions without judging them or immediately reacting.
What is mindfulness?
According to relapse prevention theory, this occurs when a person encounters a high-risk situation without effective coping skills.
What is an increased risk of relapse?
BONUS:Mark's place of employment.
What is Marcos?
This feeling can be healthy when it motivates a person to take responsibility, make amends, and change harmful behaviors.
What is guilt?
"Using is the only way I can cope with stress."
Correction: Recovery involves learning and practicing healthier coping skills that become more effective over time.
What are your most challenging triggers?
This skill involves challenging unhelpful thoughts that intensify difficult emotions and cravings.
What is cognitive restructuring (reframing)?
Substance use is often described as an unhealthy attempt to do this with difficult emotions.
What is regulate, avoid, numb, or escape emotions?
This emotion regulation skill encourages a person to act opposite to harmful urges when emotions are not helping the situation.
What is opposite action?
Why is Sandra Bullock's character sent to rehab in the movie?
What is she got drunk at sister's wedding, stole as limo, crashed into a house. Character had the choice between jail and rehab.
"I've always been this way, so I'll never change."
Correction: People can and do change. New behaviors, skills, and perspectives can be learned at any stage of life.
This type of trigger includes people, places, or things that remind someone of past substance use.
What are external triggers?
Substance use is often described as an unhealthy attempt to do this with difficult emotions.
What is regulate, avoid, numb, or escape emotions?
Name a high-risk situation that you have experienced.
Answers vary.
BONUS: Paul told us the story about the guy coming to his house after giving him substances the day before and another person offering him marijuana. What skill did he use during these situations to help him stay sober?
What is refusal Skills?
What is the name of Sandra Bullock's character in 28 Days?
What is Gwen?
"Because I struggle with addiction, I'm a bad person."
Correction: Having a substance use disorder is not a moral failing. It is a treatable health condition, and your worth is not determined by your diagnosis.