Relapse Prevention 1
The first goal of treatment for relapse prevention.
Learn triggers and the early warning signs (red-flags).
True or False. Cognitive therapy is very effective in relapse prevention.
Cognitive therapy is one of the main tools for changing people’s negative thinking and developing healthy coping skills. Its effectiveness in relapse prevention has been confirmed in numerous studies.
Thinking in absolutes such as “always”, “never”, or “every”. “I never do a good enough job on anything.”
All-or-Nothing Thinking
2.
Uncomfortable emotions
True or False. Relapse begins weeks and sometime months before an individual picks up a drink or drug.
True. Relapse encompasses three stages: emotional, mental, and physical.
True or False. Relapse prevention involves saying no just before you are about to use.
False. Saying "no" is the final and most difficult stage to stop, which is why people relapse. If an individual remains in mental relapse long enough without the necessary coping skills, clinical experience has shown they are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol just to escape their turmoil.
Interpreting the thoughts and beliefs of others without adequate evidence. “She would not go on a date with me. She probably thinks I’m ugly.”
Mind Reading
1
Triggering event
List two signs of emotional relapse.
Depression, anxiety, mood swings, anger, isolation, breaking routine, trouble sleeping, refusing help, poor eating habits, focusing on others, not going to neetings or not participating if going
List three signs of mental relapse.
Increased cravings for substance, more thoughts about the people, places, and things, minimizing consequences, glamorizing addiction, bargaining, lying, sneaky behavior, schemes to control use, looking for opportunity, planning when to use
The assumption that emotions reflect the way things really are. “I feel like a bad friend, therefore I must be a bad friend.”
Emotional Reasoning
6.
Shame and guilt
The difference between a “lapse” and a “relapse.”
The "lapse" is the initial drink or drug use. The "relapse" is the return to uncontrolled using.
True or False. Redefining Fun is an important coping skill for Relapse Prevention.
True. Clinical experience has shown that when people in recovery are under stress, they tend to glamorize their past use and think about it longingly. They start to think that recovery is hard work and addiction was fun. They begin to disqualify the positives they have gained through recovery. The cognitive challenge is to acknowledge that recovery is sometimes hard work but addiction is even harder.
Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation.
Catastrophizing
5.
Negative consequences
What is one helpful acronym to identify lack of self-care.
HALT: hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. For some individuals, self-care is as basic as physical self-care, such as sleep, hygiene, and a healthy diet. For most individuals, self-care is about emotional self-care.
List the five rules of Recovery.
1) change your life; 2) be completely honest; 3) ask for help; 4) practice self-care; and 5) don’t bend the rules. REMEMBER: No one achieves recovery by just not using.
Recognizing only the negative aspects of a situation while ignoring the positive. One might receive many compliments on an evaluation, but focus on the single piece of negative feedback.
Disqualifying the Positive
3.
Need to Escape