🌱Early Recovery
What is one common symptom in recovery?
What is withdrawal, mood swings, or cravings?
What are the 3 parts of self-compassion?
What are mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness?
What brain chemical is heavily involved in addiction?
What is dopamine?
Name 3 core emotions.
What are anger, sadness, fear, joy, or disgust?
(Core emotions may vary depending on model.)
Name one grounding skill.
What is deep breathing, grounding, calling support, journaling, or walking?
What is PAWS?
What is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome?
What is the difference between self-compassion and self-esteem?
What is self-compassion is treating yourself kindly during failure, while self-esteem depends on achievement or comparison?
What part of the brain helps with decision-making?
What is the prefrontal cortex?
Responsible for decision-making, impulse control, planning.
What is emotional regulation?
What is the ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences in healthy ways?
What is box breathing?
What is box breathing — inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4?
Why is structure important in early recovery?
What is it helps stabilize the brain and reduce triggers?
True or False: Self-compassion makes people weak.
What is False?
Self-compassion increases resilience and accountability!
What happens to dopamine with repeated drug use?
What is dopamine becomes dysregulated and natural rewards feel less satisfying?
What is HALT?
What is Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired?
What is urge surfing?
What is observing cravings without acting on them?
What happens to sleep in early recovery?
What is disrupted sleep due to brain chemistry rebalancing?
How does self-compassion reduce relapse risk?
What is it reduces shame and emotional distress, which lowers relapse risk?
What is neuroplasticity?
What is the brain’s ability to change and rewire?
Why do people use substances to manage emotions?
What is substances are often used to numb, escape, or intensify emotions?
Why does exercise help mood?
What is exercise releases endorphins and supports dopamine balance?
Why can early recovery feel emotionally intense?
What is the brain recalibrating dopamine and stress systems?
Name one brain effect of practicing self-compassion.
What is it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces cortisol?
It can calm the threat system in the brain.
Why do cravings feel urgent but temporary?
What is cravings rise, peak, and fall like waves because they are driven by temporary brain signals?
Urges usually pass within 20–30 minutes.
What is the difference between guilt and shame?
What is guilt is “I did something bad,” and shame is “I am bad”?
What coping skill uses the 5 senses?
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique?
(5 things you see, 4 feel, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste)