Triggers
A person, place, feeling, or situation that increases the urge to use substances.
What is a trigger?
The first step begins with admitting a lack of control over substance use and recognizing that life has become this.
What is unmanageable?
Slowly breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth is an example of this coping skill.
What is deep breathing?
A return to unhealthy thinking and behavior can begin before a person actually uses a substance.
What is the relapse process?
A group where people share experiences and support one another in recovery.
What is a recovery support meeting?
Anger, loneliness, boredom, and anxiety are examples of this type of trigger.
What are internal triggers?
This person helps guide another individual through the Twelve Steps.
What is a sponsor?
Calling a sponsor, counselor, recovery coach, or sober friend is an example of using this.
What is a support system?
Isolation, skipping meetings, and stopping contact with sober supports may be these.
What are warning signs?
This professional helps clients identify goals, develop coping skills, and address substance use concerns.
What is a counselor?
Seeing a former using friend or driving past a bar are examples of this type of trigger.
What are external triggers?
Steps Four and Ten involve regularly examining personal behaviors through this process.
What is a personal inventory?
Thinking through the likely consequences of substance use before acting is called this.
What is playing the tape forward?
Avoiding people, places, and situations connected to past substance use is known as this strategy.
What is avoiding high-risk situations?
A person with lived recovery experience who helps others connect with resources and build recovery skills.
What is a recovery coach or peer specialist?
Hungry, angry, lonely, and tired are represented by this recovery acronym.
What is HALT?
Steps Eight and Nine focus on identifying people who were harmed and making these when appropriate.
What are amends?
Naming five things you see, four things you feel, and three things you hear is this type of coping technique.
What is grounding?
A written plan containing warning signs, coping skills, support contacts, and emergency actions is called this.
What is a relapse prevention plan?
This written agreement identifies who to contact and what steps to take when recovery feels at risk.
What is a recovery support plan?
Identifying triggers and planning a safe response before they occur is part of this plan.
What is a relapse prevention plan?
Step Twelve encourages people in recovery to help others and practice recovery principles in this area.
What are all areas of life?
Refusing an offer clearly, leaving the situation, and contacting support are examples of these skills.
What are refusal skills?
When a person begins thinking about using substances or planning how to obtain them, they may be experiencing this stage of relapse.
What is mental relapse?
Healthy family members, friends, treatment providers, sponsors, and peers can form this important recovery resource.
What is a sober support network?