Thinking Traps & Tools
You think, “I messed up today—my whole recovery is ruined.”
What is All-or-Nothing Thinking?
You feel upset and want to yell, but you take deep breaths instead. What are you practicing?
Emotion Regulation
You walk by a place where you used to use and suddenly get a craving. What skill can you use?
Recognize the craving as an external trigger. Pause, take a deep breath, remind yourself it's just a feeling, and ride it out like a wave (Urge Surfing). Call a support person, distract yourself, or change your location if needed.
You’re not sure you want to stop using yet. What stage of change is this?
Precontemplation
You used again and feel ashamed. You don’t want to tell anyone, so you isolate. What would help?
What is Reaching Out to Sober Support or a Meeting?
You think, “Everyone in group is judging me,” even though no one has said anything.
Cognitive Distortion: Mind Reading
You feel like hiding but decide to go to the group instead.
Doing the opposite of what you want to do.
You feel bored and your mind starts thinking about using.
Distraction + Internal Trigger Awareness + Opposite Action
Recognize boredom as an internal trigger. Use healthy distractions like walking, music, calling a sober friend, or doing something creative. Practice Opposite Action by staying engaged instead of isolating. Remind yourself: “This feeling will pass—I can choose something different.”
You’re thinking about quitting and making a plan. What stage of change is this?
Contemplation or Preparation Stage?
You keep hanging out with people who still use, and you end up relapsing. What recovery tip does this relate to?
Avoid people, places and things that trigger you.
You get one piece of feedback from your boss and immediately think, “I’m a failure. I can’t do anything right.”
Labeling or Overgeneralizing
You feel numb—like nothing matters or bothers you.
Emotional Numbing
You feel a strong urge to use and decide to wait it out knowing it will pass. What skill are you using?
Urge Surfing
You’ve made changes and are going to meetings. What stage of change is this?
The Action Stage
You lie to your counselor and say you’re doing fine, even though you used last night. You feel guilty, and the support you're getting isn’t really helping because they don’t know the truth. Why does dishonesty hurt recovery?
Being Honest Builds Trust and Helps You Get the Right Support
D= Describe, E= Express, A= Assert, R=Reinforce, M=Be Mindful, A=Appear Confident, N=Negotiate
You feel angry but don’t know what kind of angry it is. What can you use?
The Feelings Wheel
You picture your craving like a wave—it gets strong, then fades.
The Wave of an Urge
You’ve built a small sober support system and use it often.
Building Sober Supports
Why do people relapse, even when they want to stay clean?
Because of triggers, overwhelming emotions, lack of support, untreated mental health, or not having a solid coping plan.
“If I go to that meeting and people don’t like me, I won’t be able to handle it.”
Catastrophizing
You usually bottle things up because you don’t want to seem weak. But when you finally talk about your feelings in group, you feel lighter and more connected.
Expressing Feelings Helps You Heal, Build Trust, and Avoid Relapse?
You tell yourself you’re “just visiting” your old friends who still use. Deep down, you know it’s risky—but you go anyway. Later, you relapse. Why was this a bad idea?
Putting Yourself in a High-Risk Situation (Trigger), and Not Avoiding People, Places, and Things That Can Lead to Relapse?
You’ve been trying to manage recovery on your own, but you keep relapsing. You feel frustrated but haven’t told anyone. You’re starting to realize you might need more help than you're using right now.
Recognizing You Need More Support and Asking for Help – Recovery Requires Connection, Not Isolation
You stay clean for a week, then stop going to meetings and avoid your support system. You relapse again. This keeps happening, but you keep trying the same plan.
What is Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results – You need to change your recovery plan and stay connected.