Relapse Prevention Part IDr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LMHC, LPC, NCC

Review Last Week0Create a definition of success for the whole group

0 Identify all of the things people think they need to do or have to be successful.

0 Narrow it down to 5 characteristics the whole group can agree on

0 Discuss why those 5 characteristics are more important than the others to your group

0 Relate those characteristics to the spiritual principles of the 12 steps

0 Identify one thing you can start doing to achieve each characteristic listed

Additional Application

0Complete the following sentence---0 My child will be a success in life when he or she . . .

Objectives

0Define Relapse0 Identify Relapse Warning Signs0 Identify Strengths0Learn about how your addiction developed

Relapse Definition

0Relapse is the return to something that has been previously stopped

0For the addict, a relapse is multidimensional0 Emotional0 Mental0 Physical0 Social

0Review your addicted vs. sober worksheet. 0A relapse is when you start returning to any of these

people, places, things, behaviors or feeling states.

Emotional Relapse

0 In emotional relapse, you're not thinking about using. But your emotions and behaviors are setting you up for a possible relapse in the future.

0Negative emotions make us uncomfortable0The healthy person identifies the emotion, decides why

they are feeling that way and takes steps to fix the problem0The addict becomes stuck in the emotion, sometimes

0 Nurturing and blowing it out of proportion0 Personalizing it0 Trying to escape from it by getting high

Preventing Emotional Relapse

0Keep a gratitude journal0Avoid personalizing something that may not be about

you0Remember that…

0 Negative emotions are our mind’s way of telling us to get off our butts and do something—Like our car’s idiot light or hunger pangs

0 Dwelling, nurturing, hiding from negative emotions never makes anything better

0 You can *choose* to feel and fix or relapse and repeat

Activity

0List 10 things that you chose to get anxious or angry about over the last week

0Why did you get upset? (What was your mind telling you needed to be fixed)

0Did getting upset do any good?0What could you do differently next time to either

0 Change/fix the situation0 Change how you feel about the situation OR0 Let it go

Mental Relapse

0 In mental relapse there's a war going on in your mind. Part of you wants to use, but part of you doesn't.

0The signs of mental relapse are:0 Thinking about people, places, and things you used with 0 Glamorizing your past use 0 Lying to yourself and others0 Justifying your behaviors0 Minimizing the impact of one (drink/hit/bet etc.)0 “Screw It” attitude0 Paranoia

Preventing Mental Relapse

0KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid0Good Orderly Direction

0 Your life is a road map0 The destination is recovery and happiness0 Before you act, think whether that keeps you on the

right road, or is an unplanned detour0 Maintain Head-Heart-Gut Honesty

Social Relapse

0You have returned to the old people and places.0You have withdrawn from your sober social supports0You have become self-centered0Your life has begun to center around your “friends”

who support your habit or you have isolated yourself

Preventing Social Relapse

0Contact your sponsor on a daily basis for the first 3 months

0Keep a business card in your wallet with the names and numbers of 3 sober supports

0Change your phone number (if possible) and destroy contact information for your “using” friends

0Find at least one prosocial activity to do each week ---volunteer, church, go to the gym

Physical Relapse

0Physical relapse is characterized by 0 Cravings0 Dreams about the drug0 Neglecting physical health (sleep, exercise, nutrition,

medication)0 Using

Preventing Physical Relapse

0HALT0 Hungry--- Nourish your mind, heart and body. 0 Angry--- Emotional relapse anyone??? 0 Lonely---

Reviewing Strengths0What do you do when you are not using?0List three ways you cope with stress besides using?0What activities do you like that do not involve using?0When you are not using, what is different? Are you…

0 Going to meetings0 Working out 0 Volunteering0 Spending time with your dog0 Other….

0These all strengths you can use to prevent relapse

Relapse Prevention Planning

0 Include time in the morning and at night to “get grounded” (Can be your drive to and from work)

0Avoid alone, idol time (Go to the library, gym…)0Set realistic daily goals0Give yourself credit for positive accomplishments

Note: You will review and refine this plan as we go along

Homework0 Write your autobiography

0 Begin with your first memory0Are you happy, sad, scared0Who was important in your life and why0Were you getting your basic needs met? Why or why not?

0 Food, shelter, safety, love, acceptance

0Who were your friends?0What are the three most influential things that happened during

that time?0 Answer those same questions for elementary school; middle

school; high school, early 20s, late 20s, 30s, etc up to present day.

0 Now go back and identify when you started using and why0 Look back, before that time, and identify when you started

developing your addictive behaviors. What were you trying to control or escape from?

Homework Part 2

0 Identify all of the times you tried to quit.0Why you wanted to quit0What you did that worked0What you did that did not work0What is different when you are not using0What your relapse warning signs were0What triggered the relapse0What you can do to prevent that from happening again