The Basics (Living In Balance Sessions 1-2)
Severe problems related to the compulsive and habitual use of mood-altering substances
What is Addiction?
These are people, places, or things that lead to the urge to use.
What are triggers?
Because it is legal and socially acceptable, this substance is often overlooked as a major relapse risk.
What is alcohol or tobacco?
The common physical and mental response to life's demands can be a major driver for relapse.
What is stress?
To help prevent a slip, the curriculum teaches that a relapse is not an event, but a ________.
What is a process?
These are naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that drugs and alcohol interfere with.
What are neurotransmitters?
A powerful, often overwhelming urge to use a substance.
What is a craving?
This area of health explores how substances impact intimacy and sexual relationships.
What is sexual health?
Feelings like shame or guilt that often fuel the desire to numb out with substances.
What are negative emotions?
Groups like AA or NA that provide a peer-led community of support.
What are self-help groups or twelve step groups?
This term refers to the need for more of a drug to get the same effect.
What is tolerance?
This strategy involves waiting out a craving, knowing it will eventually peak and fade.
What is delaying or Urge surfing?
This concept is defined as a search for meaning or a connection to something larger than oneself.
What is spirituality?
A key skill for managing conflict and improving relationships without becoming aggressive or passive.
What is assertiveness or communication?
These are "red flags" or shifts in behavior that happen before the actual use of a substance occurs.
What are warning signs?
This "cycle" describes the dangerous habit of using stimulants to get "up" and depressants to "come down".
What is the upper/downer cycle?
This type of trigger happens inside you, such as feeling lonely, angry, or bored.
What is an internal trigger?
Often paired together, these two legal substances can significantly lower inhibitions and increase the risk of using other drugs.
Daily Double: $800
What are alcohol and nicotine?
Deep breathing and mindfulness are core examples of these tools used to stay grounded.
What are relaxation techniques?
These two behaviors—keeping things hidden and avoiding people—are considered the "gasoline" of addiction.
What are secrecy and isolation?
Using one drug to replace another, often mistakenly thinking it is "safer".
What is drug switching?
To prevent boredom and reduce "dead time", the curriculum suggests creating this specific daily tool.
What is a daily schedule/routine?
This holistic view argues that humans are "whole" beings, meaning we have physical, mental, and ________ needs.
What is a spiritual needs?
This term describes the ability to "bounce back" and stay sober through difficult emotional seasons.
Daily Double $1000
What is resilience?
This written tool outlines specific steps to take when a high-risk situation occurs.
What is a relapse prevention plan?