Coping Skills
A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Mindfulness *Share about you experience with mindfulness.
Someone with a thorough knowledge of the twelve steps who helps guide a newcomer through the processes.
A Sponsor *Do you have your sponsor? Share about your experience
What word describes feelings, people, or situations that cause the brain to want to use substances. If you're not aware of them, they can cause you to relapse?
Triggers! Each group member name one of their triggers to receive points.
Someone who helps guide a newcomer through the processes of NA or AA
A Sponsor *Do you have your sponsor? Share about your experience.
A movie about a hard-drinking New York journalist who takes her reputation as the life and soul of the party too far when she knocks over her sister's wedding cake and crashes the bridal limousine. When a court orders her into rehab for a month, she initially refuses, but eventually she begins to take her substance abuse seriously.
28 Days
Doing or thinking about something different when you feel yourself being triggered to use substances.
Changing the Channel *What are things you do to Change the Channel?
Who Co-Founded AA along with Bill W?
Dr. Bob Smith
This state of mind can be fatal for recovery! It's characterized by being too comfortable or not feeling motivated to continue doing the work
Complacency, name one thing to do to combat complacency.
A powerful desire to use substances
Cravings *What is your experience with cravings?
This metallic man has been in recovery since 2003. He was introduced to drugs by his famous father and spent time in jail. He saw a resurgence in his popularity since entering recovery and staring in a series of hit movies.
Robert Downey Jr.
The practice of taking an active role in regularly doing things that improve your well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
Self-Care *Share one thing you do for self-care.
What is the third step prayer?
God, I offer myself to Thee, to build with me, and to do with me as thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy power, Thy love, and Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always.
*What does this prayer mean to you?
Refusing to admit the truth about addiction and its consequences to ourselves.
Denial, each group member share an example of denial.
A common phrase repeated in AA/NA as an important part of recovery. It is not just a common encouragement, it holds great meaning representing the gratitude an individual feels about their sobriety, and the importance of it presently.
"One day at a Time" what does this cliché mean to you?
his famous British singer, songwriter, and pianist recently had a biopic made of his life. He was knighted by the Queen of England and is one of the best selling musical artists of all time. He went through recovery, built AA/NA meetings into his tour schedule, and has also sponsored other celebrities such as Eminem.
Elton John
A state of mind where you are thankful and taking notice of the good things in your life, rather than focusing on the bad
Gratitude *What is one thing you are grateful for today?
Where was AA started?
Akron, Ohio
What are ten warning signs of relapse?
And many more... What are some of your own personal warning signs?
Using another activity in order to replace or substitute the feelings/results you used to get from using substances
Cross Addiction. What is you experience with cross addiction; is there a behavior you see a potential creating an addiction to?
This famous actor is known for his character named after a weapon. He served jail time and became a boxing champion in San Quentin, after which he completed a 12-step program and has been sober for over 4 decades. He was first discovered as an actor while attending an AA meeting! Now he is a successful restaurateur and appeared as the Racoon in the Masked Singer show.
Danny Trejo
A technique involves running "a mental videotape” of the entire relapse process. It involves going through the process from start to finish and noting all the changes that would occur if you gave into the temptation.
Playing the tape through * Have you tried this? Is it helpful?
Who started Alanon?
Lois W. (wife of AA co-founder Bill W.). Have you attended Alanon, is that a program you think would be helpful in your life?
What are the three stages of a relapse, explain what happens during them.
Emotional relapse is the first phase of the three phases of relapse. During this stage, the person is not actively thinking about using drugs or alcohol. However, their emotions and behaviors may be setting them up for a relapse down the road.
When we choose to not work on any signs or symptoms of the emotional stage, there is increased risk of transitioning to the second stage of relapse, which is mental relapse. Once in mental relapse, which is best described as a war going on inside one’s mind, the individual is at high risk for physical relapse. Part of them wants to use, while the other part doesn’t. Fantasizing about using is not uncommon in this stage. As individuals go deeper into the mental relapse stage, their cognitive resistance to relapse diminishes and their need of escape increases. It is important to remember that occasional thoughts of using are normal in early recovery, but the thoughts that occur during mental relapse are different as they are thoughts of considering making an actual choice to use rather than a fleeting thought of using.
When a person doesn’t take the time to acknowledge and address the symptoms from emotional and mental relapse, it doesn’t take long to lead down the path to physical relapse. This includes the act of drinking alcohol or using other drugs. The key is to reach out for help if you find yourself in physical relapse immediately in order to stop the vicious cycle of addiction before it is too late.
What is something you can do to get out of each stage?
Symptoms you experience several weeks or months after you have finished detoxing that are related to the body healing from substance use
Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) *What PAWS symptoms have you experienced?
Longtime salesman Nick Halsey (Will Ferrell) has seen better days. No longer at the top of his game, Nick, an alcoholic, loses his job for showing up drunk one too many times. On the same day, he finds that his wife has dumped him -- and his possessions -- on the front lawn of their home. Facing the fact that his life is collapsing around him, Nick holds a giant yard sale that turns into a unique survival strategy. Based on a short story by Raymond Carver.
Everything must go