Topic 1: Understanding the Addiction Cycle
This step in the addiction cycle refers to internal or external events that start the relapse process.
What are triggers?
This brain chemical is often released during rituals and substance use and is associated with reward and pleasure.
What is dopamine?
This tool helps people rate how intense an emotion feels from low to high levels.
What is the Emotions Thermometer?
This breathing technique involves inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding again for equal counts.
What is square breathing (box breathing)?
This uncomfortable emotion often occurs after substance use and can lead someone to continue using to avoid feeling it.
What is shame or guilt?
This stage involves strong neurological and physical urges caused by activation of the brain’s reward system.
What are cravings?
True or False: Dopamine can be released during ritual behaviors even before substances are used.
What is True?
This concept teaches that the emotion people show on the outside often hides deeper or secondary emotions underneath.
What is the Emotions Iceberg?
Name one common physical symptom of anxiety or stress response.
Examples: increased heart rate, muscle tension, shortness of breath, restlessness, racing thoughts, sweating.
This emotion is commonly linked to relapse when individuals feel overwhelmed by life stressors or responsibilities.
What is stress or anxiety?
These are repetitive thoughts or behaviors, such as contacting a dealer or isolating, that occur before substance use and prepare a person psychologically to use.
What are rituals?
This type of trigger originates from inside a person, such as emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations.
What is an internal trigger?
Give one example of a primary emotion and one example of a secondary emotion.
Examples: Primary emotions may include fear, sadness, or hurt. Secondary emotions may include anger, frustration, or irritability.
Name one of the tw nervous systems related to wake and sleep.
What is the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system's?
This emotion often appears as anger but may actually be hiding deeper emotions such as hurt, fear, or rejection.
What is secondary anger?
These emotional consequences often occur after substance use and can reinforce continued substance use by worsening negative self-beliefs.
What are guilt and shame?
Give one example of a cognitive justification pattern that may occur during rituals.
Examples: “I deserve this,” “Just one time won’t hurt,” “I can control it this time,” or similar relapse justification thinking.
Why is identifying emotions early important in relapse prevention?
What is early identification allows individuals to use coping skills before emotions intensify and increase relapse risk?
This mindfulness exercise teaches clients to observe thoughts without reacting to them by imagining them floating away.
What is Leaves on a Stream?
Name two emotions that commonly increase relapse risk if they are ignored or suppressed.
Examples: loneliness, boredom, sadness, fear, anger, shame, hopelessness, frustration.
Explain how the addiction cycle becomes self-perpetuating.
What is triggers lead to cravings, cravings lead to rituals, rituals lead to use, and use leads to guilt/shame, which often creates new emotional triggers restarting the cycle?
Why does identifying rituals early improve relapse prevention outcomes?
What is because rituals activate the brain’s reward system, strengthen habit patterns, and increase relapse risk, so interrupting rituals early can prevent progression to substance use?
Explain how difficulty labeling emotions can increase substance use vulnerability.
What is when individuals cannot identify or express emotions, they may use substances to numb, escape, or regulate emotional distress?
How can mindfulness and breathing techniques reduce relapse risk?
What is they reduce physiological stress, increase emotional regulation, slow impulsive reactions, and help clients tolerate cravings and intrusive thoughts without acting on them?
Explain how emotional avoidance can contribute to addiction and relapse.
What is avoiding or numbing emotions prevents healthy processing, increases distress over time, and may lead individuals to use substances as a way to cope or escape emotional discomfort?