Recovery 101
This is the first step in most 12-step programs, where participants admit they have a problem with addiction.
What is "admitting powerlessness over addiction"?
Only people with no willpower become addicted.
What is "Myth"? (Addiction is a complex condition, not just a matter of willpower.)
This fun and social activity involves playing games like Monopoly, Uno, or Scrabble with friends or family.
What is "board games or card games"?
This is the year Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was founded, marking the beginning of modern recovery movements.
What is "1935"?
This is the term used to describe the feeling of wanting to return to using substances after a period of sobriety.
What is "craving"?
This term refers to a period of time when someone is sober after previously engaging in substance use.
What is "sobriety" or "abstinence"?
Addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain and behavior.
What is "Fact"?
This outdoor activity involves following a marked trail and is great for physical and mental health.
What is "hiking"?
This individual co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and helped develop the 12-step program.
Who is "Bill Wilson"?
This is a common sign that someone might be at risk for relapse, often characterized by emotional numbness or withdrawal from others.
What is "isolation"?
This is the process of returning to substance use after a period of sobriety.
What is "relapse"?
Once you're sober, you're cured of addiction.
What is "Myth"? (Recovery is a lifelong process, and relapse can happen.)
This outdoor adventure activity involves climbing rocks or natural features, often with friends, and is great for physical strength and bonding.
What is "rock climbing"?
This addiction recovery model, introduced in the 1980s, focuses on achieving sobriety by integrating spirituality, service, and personal responsibility.
What is "the 12-step program"?
This is the practice of regularly checking in with someone who supports your sobriety, to stay accountable and avoid isolation.
What is "accountability"?
This type of therapy focuses on changing negative thinking patterns and behaviors to help individuals manage addiction and mental health.
What is "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)"?
Relapse is often a part of the recovery journey and doesn't mean failure.
What is "Fact"?
This activity involves gathering friends to kick, hit, or throw a ball in a park or field for fun and exercise.
What is "playing sports" (e.g., soccer, basketball, or frisbee)?
This 1989 book by psychiatrist and addiction expert Dr. Stanton Peele challenged the medical model of addiction and suggested that addiction is more about behavior than biology.
What is "Love and Addiction"?
Addiction as a Choice, Not Just a Disease:
Dr. Peele argues that addiction is not just an illness that requires medical intervention; rather, it is a result of choices, patterns, and behaviors that individuals engage in to fulfill emotional or psychological needs.
This is the action of removing people, places, or things that trigger cravings or negative emotions, often referred to as “environmental triggers.”
What is "avoiding triggers"?
This recovery approach focuses on building support from others who share similar experiences and challenges, often through meetings or group therapy.
What is "peer support"?
If you don't want to get sober, no treatment will work
What is "Myth"? (Treatment can still be effective, even if someone isn't fully committed yet.)
An outdoor event where you and friends can enjoy old movies projected on a big screen under the stars.
What is "an outdoor movie night"?
In the 1990s, this term was coined to describe addiction treatment programs that involve patients' families in the therapeutic process.
What is "family therapy" in addiction treatment?
This technique involves being mindful of and reframing thoughts that might lead to cravings, replacing them with more positive or productive thoughts.
What is "thought-stopping" or "cognitive restructuring"?