ACRONYMS
AA and NA
Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
Anger, guilt, loneliness, hurt, rejection
Negative Feelings
Initial use of alcohol or other drugs (or one time use)
Lapse
Standing up for yourself in a way that disregards the rights of others
Aggression
Experiencing a craving as if it were a wave - letting it rise, peak and then subside
Urge surfing
AOD
Alcohol and Other Drugs
Physical reaction to internal or external triggers
Cravings
Any situation in which we are strongly tempted to use
Trigger
Style of communication where you stand up for your personal rights in a way that respects the rights of others
Assertive Communication
Refusing to act on a craving for a given period of time (opposite of impulsive)
Postponement or Delayed Gratification
HALT
Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
Putting yourself in high risk situations to prove you have “willpower”
Testing Personal Control
Learning to better identify and manage high risk situations after experiencing a lapse
Prolapse
Style of communication where you do not stand up for yourself or your personal rights
Passivity
Thinking about what will happen if you pick up that first drink or drug
Think through the drink or play the script out
AVE
Abstinence Violation Effect
Wanting to celebrate, increase your enjoyment, or relax
Pleasant Emotions or Feeling Good
Unhealthy communication pattern where we assume we know what the other person is thinking
Mind reading
Speech that expresses your thoughts and feelings without judgment or blame
I-language
A visual representation of the pros and cons of Sobriety vs Continued Drinking or Using
Decision Matrix or Payoff Matrix
SUDs
Seemingly Unrelated Decision(s)
Withdrawal symptoms, sleep problems, chronic pain, fatigue or exhaustion
Physical Discomfort or Illness
Routines and strategies designed to help people with insomnia
Sleep Hygiene
Receiving another person’s message without interrupting or giving advice
Active listening
Monitoring and rating your thoughts, emotions and stresses to help identify triggers and high risk situations
Symptom Tracking