Signs and Symptoms
What is a trigger?
Triggers are often some sort of internal or external stimulus that causes us to desire to use drugs or alcohol again.
Define coping skills
Positive ways to handle negative thoughts, emotions, and actions in a healthy way
What are three people/places that you can go to get support in your recovery?
Meetings, Sponsor, Healthy Family, Healthy Friends, Group members, Church
The Stages
Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Acton, and Maintenance --> relapse and recycle
___ is the fastest addictive drug
Nicotine
HALT
What is Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
Identify 3 coping skills
What are reading, music, writing, grounding, talking, etc.
What are three possible signs that a relapse may be approaching?
Interacting with old using friends, Engaging in cross addiction, Going to old using places, Irritation, Poor emotional control, Isolation, Stop going to meetings/talking to sponsor
What stage of change? -- Suzy is a mother who feels the amount of Vicodin she has been consuming is interfering with her relationship with her children. She has told her husband she would speak with her doctor but consistently “forgets” to do so.
Contemplation – Suzy has begun questioning the impact her drug use is having but is not taking it seriously enough to act.
What substance permanently changes your brain?
Meth
Define PAWS and give 3 examples.
Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms
- Disrupted sleep, Change in mood, Foggy mind, Irritability...
What are four benefits from having and using healthy coping skills?
Raised Self Esteem, Better Mental Health, Decrease in Cravings/Urges, Better able to deal with Cravings, Better Emotional Management, Healthier relationships...
What is "Stinkin' Thinkin'" and give 2 examples?
A warning sign of when old thoughts/behaviors start to creep back into a recovering person's thought process.
-"I can have just one", "It will be different this time", "I'm doing so much better now", "I've learned my lesson"
What stage of change? -- Eliza decides that she is tired of constantly seeking pills and after a few days of thought, she tells her therapist that she is ready to change. The therapist then makes her an appointment with a drug and alcohol counselor.
Preparation – Eliza has recognized her problem and is preparing to take action.
What are reservations?
Reservations refer to something that someone is holding back. They are insecurities and can be seen in many aspects of our lives. It can be something big like your future or something small like simple being unsure about buying something from a store. These can be uncomfortable situations but at the end of the day, they are completely normal.
In what Stage of Recovery do we see the most PAWS symptoms occurring?
What is Pre-contemplation/Contemplation?
Negative Coping skills
Isolation, using, anger, bottling emotions, not using relapse prevention plan, etc.
What are the phases of relapse?
What stage of change? -- After successfully quitting a severe Opioid habit, Katie was sober for over 8 months. One afternoon she sees an old boyfriend and becomes depressed. Katie goes to the home of her old drug dealer and obtains five Percocet pills. She immediately takes all of them.
Relapse – Katie had entered the maintenance stage but encountered a “trigger” and then relapsed.
To politely yet firmly stand up for yourself when facing a trigger or difficult situation is called this.
Assertiveness
Define H.O.W
What is Honesty, Open-minded, and Willing
Ways we can see improvement in self-esteem
What is learning a new skill, Self Care, Positive Affirmations, Engage with Healthy People
What specific tool can be utilized when when feeling triggered, having urges, etc?
What stage of change? -- After 15 years of Opioid dependence, Earnest checked himself into a rehabilitation program. He has been sober for two years and has a large support system around him.
Maintenance - Earnest has successfully quit abusing Opioids and now lives a sober lifestyle with a large support system.
What are the 2 substances that can be deadly to quit "cold turkey"?
Benzos and Alcohol