Miscellaneous
Identify one unhealthy coping skill.
1. Using a substance to numb emotions, thoughts, or memories.
2. Engaging in an activity in excess (i.e. shopping)
3. Venting to an untrustworthy individual.
Which patterns of thinking are the most harmful before you use drugs and/or alcohol? (possible before a relapse). Each person in group give one example.
Stress, depression, anxiety, thoughts of low self-esteem, etc.
________ are people, places or things that cause people to have thoughts associated with substance use.
Triggers
Some potential signs of a __________ relapse include experiencing unpleasant emotions, such as exhaustion, fatigue, or sadness, or a decrease in mood.
Emotional
This stage is characterized by denial and continued use of substances.
Pre-contemplation
Identify three healthy coping skills to manage triggers, cravings, and stress.
Journaling, meditation, spiritual practices, physical exercise, listening to music or inspirational speeches, etc.
What are your triggering situations? Each person give at least one.
Anxiety, mental state, environment, feelings of hopelessness, neglect, abandonment, past trauma, overwhelmed, un-important.
________ increases as one continues to use, requiring one to need more of the substance to feel the same high.
Tolerance
A sign of a ____________ relapse includes reflecting on the good memories and feelings associated with your drug of choice.
Mental
This stage begins when an individual begins working through their treatment plan, putting their motivation for recovery into practice. During this phase, you may implement new techniques as you discover what helps you the most as you actively work toward success.
Action
What month is Recovery Month celebrated in and what color represents recovery month?
September and Purple (August is Overdose Awareness Month)
What can happen if you decide to use drugs or alcohol? Each person in the group give one example.
Loss of job, family, relationships, jail/prison, more legal issues, loss of progress made, etc.
What is ambivalence in recovery?
Mixed feelings. Unsure if they are ready or even want to begin recovery.
What can happen after the emotional and mental relapse if the relapse cycle continues?
Physical relapse - Use
This stage is the most important for long-term recovery. This stage occurs as recovery habits begin to become a normal part of an individual’s lifestyle. Someone in this stage has incorporated practices that they will use throughout their life to continuously improve their lifestyle and ensure they remain sober
The actor says he used drugs before he was a teenager and spent most of his early career under their influence. He had several high-profile arrests in the late 1990s and early 2000s while misusing alcohol, cocaine, and heroin and spent time in a California prison and a state-run rehab facility. In 2002, he announced that he was recovered. Marvel’s 2008 movie Iron Man revived his stalled career.
Robert Downey Jr.
What do you want to achieve in your recovery? Each person in group give one thing they want to achieve in recovery.
Fixing relationships, gain trust, get kids back, job, network, diploma/degree, pay off debt, credit, better way of life, learn how to deal with emotions, etc.
Name the two types of dependence.
1. Physical
2. Psycological
Describe what mental health may look like during times of ongoing recovery.
Feeling positive or having comfortable emotions. Feeling empowered, optimistic, hopeful, valuable, etc. Have the ability and tools to manage your emotions and thoughts. Having the strength to challenge intrusive thoughts. Taking medications as prescribed.
During this stage, the individual who is struggling with substance abuse may not necessarily be ready to commit to recovery fully. However, they have a basic understanding of their involvement with substance abuse and the harm that it has caused. This stage can be easier to work from because an understanding is present.
Contemplation
She was a 17-year-old actress on family-friendly TV when, she says, she first used cocaine. As her singing career took off, so did her problems with drugs and alcohol. In 2010, she first sought treatment for addiction, along with mental health issues including bipolar and eating disorders. She has addressed her ongoing recovery in interviews, on social media, and in her music.
Demi Lovato
How can you help yourself avoid relapse right now? Each person in group give one example.
Calling a friend, peer coach, or professional. Walking away from a situation. Go to a meeting. Avoid people, places, and things related to your past drug use.
___________ is the pleasure chemical in our brains that play a major role in substance use and addiction.
Dopamine
Describe 3 ways to cope with poor mental health or a mental relapse.
1. Talk to a licensed professional (counselor, therapist, psychiatrist, etc.)
2. Utilize your support network.
3. Take steps toward improvement, such as taking your medications as prescribed, challenging your intrusive thoughts, or engaging in a self-care activity that provides mental relief (journaling, listening to music, gardening, etc.)
This stage begins once the individual moves past the fear restraining them from beginning treatment. This is when one is ready for treatment and full intention to recover comes into play. During this phase, the individual may choose to attend meetings, increase their therapy, or work on ideas to implement into a recovery plan that they feel will benefit them.
Preparation