Addiction as a Disease
What term described continuing to use despite negative consequences?
Compulsive use
What "feel good" chemical is heavily involved in addiction?
Dopamine
What is the clinical term for using substances to manage untreated mental health symptoms?
Self-Medication
What is the difference between a lapse and a relapse?
A lapse is a BRIEF return to drug or alcohol use.
A relapse is a FULL RETURN to previous patterns.
If you know your triggers and still use, what is actually missing?
Action or Willingness or Behavior Change
(Insight alone is not enough.)
When is a person most likely to overdose and why?
After a period of sobriety due to lowered physical tolerance.
In what way does repeated substance use cause physical changes to the brain?
As the brain continues to adapt to the presence of the drug, changes occur within the reward system of the brain...
Over time, brain regions responsible for judgment, decision-making, learning, and memory begin to physically change, making certain behaviors “hard-wired.”
In some brain regions, connections between neurons are pruned back. In others, neurons form more connections.
Once these changes take place, drug-seeking behavior becomes driven by habit, almost reflex.
The drug user becomes a drug addict.
What is emotional dysregulation?
Difficulty managing and responding to emotional experiences in a controlled way
What is one example of an early emotional relapse warning sign?
Isolation, irritability, anxiety, poor self-care, etc.
If your environment is "triggering", what part is your responsibility?
How you respond
Coping skills
Establishing Boundaries
etc.
What word/term describes needing a substance to just feel "normal"?
Dependence
Reward system
Why does untreated trauma increase the risk of substance use?
Untreated trauma can cause overwhelming emotions and nervous system dysregulation that are the body and mind's natural response to trauma.
Substances are commonly used to regulate overwhelming emotions and nervous system dysregulation.
What is the most common relapse trigger people underestimate?
Overconfidence / "I've got this now" mindset
If you blame others for your reactions, what are you giving up?
Control / responsibility / power
What is the difference between physical dependence and addiction?
Dependence is a physical adaptation. Addiction includes compulsive behavior and a loss of control.
What does it mean when addiction is defined and described as "chronic and relapsing"?
It means that addiction is "long term" and that relapse can occur even after periods of sobriety.
What is the risk of treating only substance use without addressing mental health?
The risk is: Relapse
Treating substance abuse without addressing mental health increases the risk of relapse because addiction and mental health issues are often deeply intertwined, with one acting as a driver for the other. When only the addiction is treated, the underlying psychological, emotional, or traumatic issues remain, leading to a "mental relapse" that often results in a return to substance use
Behavioral Activation / Willingness
If you only show up when you feel good, what are you teaching your brain?
Avoidance / Avoidance of discomfort
What term describes reduced awareness of the severity of one's addiction?
Lack of insight
What word or term explains why addiction tends to worsen over time without treatment?
"Addiction is a progressive, chronic, and relapsing disease."
What is the primary reason depression can worsen during early recovery?
Low dopamine
What is the difference between a relapse prevention skill and a coping skill and provide an example of each?
Coping skills help manage emotions, stresses, or urges in the moment (i.e. deep breathing, grounding, distraction, journaling)
Relapse prevention skills are used to identify triggers, change patterns, and reduce the risk of future use (i.e. avoiding high risk situations, play the tape forward, HALT, avoid isolation, create a routine, use peer support network)
If your life did not change after treatment, what didn't change?
Your Thoughts / Your Behaviors / Your choices / Your patterns