The Brain
T/F. Substances operate by hijacking the natural reward system in the brain and overtime the brain comes to believe the drug is more important than anything else.
True
Compare a trigger versus a craving.
Trigger - things out in the world and inside our minds that lead us to have cravings
Cravings - intense desire to use your drug of choice
T/F. Cravings last a long period of time.
False. Cravings only last a short period of time. It can be an awful feeling but remember your brain has changed related to the production of neurotransmitters and then becomes convinced that using the substance is important and your survival depends on it.
What skill is described as stopping the thought when it first begins to prevent it from building into an overpowering craving?
Thought-stoppage
T/F. Anxiety is not dangerous.
True. Although anxiety may feel uncomfortable, it is not dangerous or harmful to you.
When dopamine levels go ___________, positive feelings are experienced
Up (increase)
Every time you are triggered but manage to resist the urge to use substances, you make that trigger _________.
Weaker until it eventually disappears or is replaced by another more positive reaction
Describe relapse justification AND Give three examples of relapse justification
Relapse justification is when you decide to stop drinking or using but then end up moving toward alcohol or other drugs anyway and your brain gave you permission.
Examples: "I can have just one", "No one will know", "I deserve a drink"
Name the technique: Picture a switch or level in your mind, imagine yourself moving in from "on" to "off" to stop the thought about alcohol or other drugs. Have another picture ready to replace those thoughts
Visualization/Imagery
What are 5 ways you can be active in your recovery?
What brain chemicals are responsible for making us feel good/high after we do something enjoyable making us want to continue the enjoyable activity?
Dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin & serotonin
Give 3 examples of internal triggers
Thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations (overwhelmed, loneliness, sad)
Trigger --> _______ -----> Craving ----> _________
Trigger --> Thought --> Craving --> Use
Name the 3 first steps to stopping the cravings process
1. Identify the triggers
2. Prevent exposure to triggers whenever possible
3. Deal with triggers in a different way
Example the difference between self-esteem and self-compassion.
Self-esteem represents how much we like or value ourselves and is often based on comparisons with others. Self-compassion is not based on positive judgements or evaluation, it is a way of relating to ourselves.
Describe the Reward Circuitry.
The reward circuitry is the place where inputs results in a dopamine surge, translating into "feeling good" or "feeling really good"
Compare an external trigger vs. internal trigger
External trigger - A trigger that comes from outside of you that leads us to have cravings
Internal trigger - a trigger that comes from inside of you that leads us to have a cravings
Describe conditioning with substance use.
People, places, things, emotions and even certain times of the day become so closely associated with using substances that even though we are in recovery and have no intention of using they can cause intense cravings for our substance of choice. Conditioning is powerful because it creates automatic responses which are responses without any rational thought associated. This is why we encourage you to avoid certain people, places and things that have been conditioned as a trigger for you.
What is a breathing technique used to calm the body, regulate breathing, and counteract some of the negative effects of anxiety??
Respiratory control
Describe enabling and explain how it can be problematic during active addiction.
Enabling is the behavior of protecting others from experiencing the full impact and consequences of their behavior.
Problematic because the enabler can help keep you in active addiction. For example - give you money to buy substances or blame others for your substance use.
Explain what happens when you stand strong and are resilient against a trigger.
You continue to stay in recovery and the trigger lost some of its power over you!!!
Give 3 examples of external triggers
People, places and things (friends, family, grocery store, bar, certain time of day, songs)
Compare the fight, flight, face or freeze response to your cravings response (HINT: adrenaline, singular focus, automatic responses)
Adrenaline: The brain instantly prepares the body to respond to the threat by flooding adrenaline into the system (you physically feel strong cravings)
Singular focus: In oder to survive the threat, we have to put all our attention on it. (you become solely focused on your cravings because your brain thinks you need the substance to survive)
Automatic response: When under attack we need to think very fast (when you have a craving, reason & rationale does not make sense and you start to develop irrational reasons to use the substance when you clearly know the substance use is not good for you)
Name 5 coping skills that help you manage a craving.
Mindfulness, prayer, reaching out to support, DBT Skills - TIPP/IMPROVE/ACCPETS, going to a meeting, distractions, exercise
What is radical acceptance AND how can you use the skill during a crisis.
Radical acceptance is the ability to accept situations that are outside of your control without judging them. It helps keep pain from turning into suffering.