Stages of Relapse
What are the Three Stages of Relapse
Emotional, Mental, & Physical
Relapses are caused by a lack of willpower and character defects.
False. They are caused by a lack of coping skills to manage addiction and criminal behavior. There are skills, attitudes, and information we can learn that can help prevent relapses or stop them when they happen.
__________ is a high-risk event that sets off a desire to do something unlawful or to use. ____________ is the urge we feel after experiencing a trigger. They are tricky "Mind messages" that try to convince one to use or to do something unlawful.
What are triggers and cravings?
Meetings, sponsors, healthy family, healthy friends, group members, church, etc.
What are three people/places that you can go to get support in recovery?
Someone who is abstinent and active in a recovery support program that you can turn to in a crisis or call anytime. They will also offer hope and challenge you when you are making excuses.
What is a sponsor or a mentor?
A set of skills that someone uses in order to avoid and deal with triggers and cravings.
What are Coping Skills?
Self-defeating thoughts are also known as _____.
What are Cognitive Distortions?
What type of relapse is the act of using alcohol or another drug
Physical Relapse
Relapse prevention involves focusing on the early stages when it's still easier to do something
True
A thought or a feeling that can create a craving to use. Some examples include, unhealthy core beliefs, distorted thinking, negative/positive emotions, tests of personal control, physical/emotional/mental health problems, etc.
What are internal triggers?
Talking to someone, learning to ask for help, and practicing honesty, reading a book can be examples of...
What are Relapse prevention skills or coping skills?
It is referred to as an inability to maintain behavior change over time or a return to old behaviors.
What is a Relapse?
Name two coping skills
What are Talking to someone, grounding techniques, deep breathing, meditation, distraction activity, etc.
“My partner forgot to call me. They must not love me.”
Name this cognitive distortion.
What is "Extreme Thinking"?
Thinking about yourself and the world in an "all-or-nothing" way.
What type of relapse is fantasizing about using, lying, looking for opportunities to use, etc.
Mental Relapse
The key to relapse prevention is to understand that it happens gradually
True
People, Places, Things, and situations are some examples of these.
What are external triggers?
In order to increase ___ you may need to find new goals, engage in exciting events, exercise, and eat more protein.
Dopamine
Choices we make that seem small and unimportant but increase the risk of relapse.
What are Seemingly Unimportant Decisions (SUDs)?
Name two benefits from having and using healthy coping skills.
What is increased self-esteem, improved mental health, decrease in cravings/urges, prevents relapse, etc.
You feel insecure about your relationship. So, when you see your partner looking serious you assume they might be losing interest in you.
Name this cognitive distortion.
Jumping to Conclusions
When you jump to conclusions, you interpret an event or situation negatively without evidence. Then you react to your assumption.
This is a brief return to use prior to regaining sobriety and engaging in your sobriety network.
Lapse
A relapse prevention plan should not be revised or re-evaluated.
False. A relapse prevention plan should be continually looked at and re-evaluated to ensure that it fits current feelings, situations, etc.
These types of Triggers focus on Depression, Anxiety, Anger, and other emotions
Internal Triggers
When we replace our main drug/activity of choice with another unhealthy activity or substance.
What is cross addiction?
Loss of self-confidence, inability to make good decisions, stronger cravings, hurting people who care about us, becoming incarcerated again, worsening physical/mental conditions, and or death are some of these
Strategies that focus on challenging and replacing negative thoughts with positive, supportive ones.
What are cognitive restructuring techniques?
“I lost my train of thought during the presentation and had to pause for several seconds which made me look like an idiot. My colleagues told me the presentation was great, but they were just trying to be nice.”
Name this cognitive distortion.
What is magnification?
Making something seem greater than it really is.
Beginning to isolate, become complacent, avoiding own problems or emotions are an example of what kind of relapse?
Emotional Relapse
Bargaining, lying, seeing old friends and minimizing the consequences are a part of physical relapse.
False (mental relapse)
Trigger, Thought, Craving, Decision, Relapse
What is how a trigger leads to relapse or relapse process?
Name three possible signs that a relapse may be approaching.
What are Interacting with old friends, engaging in cross addiction, going to old using places, irritation, poor emotional control, isolation, stop going to meetings, not talking to sponsor, etc.
You should "H.A.L.T." when you feel triggered, and check for these feelings. What does H.A.L.T. stand for?
What is Hungry, angry, lonely, tired?
This DBT skill refers to the start, crescendo, and decrease of the intensity of cravings or emotion.
Urge Surfing/Wave Surfing
“I feel uncertain in this social setting, so I'm probably an awkward person.”
Name this cognitive distortion.
What is emotional reasoning?
You make conclusions based on your feelings.