early warn signs relapse

8/3/2019 Early Warn Signs Relapse

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Therapists Overview

EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF RELAPSE

GOALS OF THE EXERCISE

1. Develop coping skills to use when experiencing high-risk situations and/or

cravings.

2. Increase awareness of personal early warning signs of relapse.

3. Learn that relapse is a process and how a person can prevent that process

from continuing to its completion in his/her life.

ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS FOR WHICH THIS EXERCISE MAY BEUSEFUL

Eating Disorders

Gambling

Nicotine Dependence

Opioid Dependence

Substance Abuse/Dependence

Treatment Resistance

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROCESSING THIS EXERCISE WITH CLIENT

The Early Warning Signs of Relapse activity is intended to help clients in early

recovery learn about cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes often seen in

the early stages of relapse (before an actual return to active addiction) and plan

strategies to counter these changes if and when they see them. This exercise is

also useful to prepare for the Relapse Prevention Planning activity. Follow-up

can include sharing the

information gathered with a program sponsor and keeping a journal to track and

record red flag symptoms.

SECTION XXXII: RELAPSE PRONENESS


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EXERCISE XXXII.A

EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF RELAPSE

In addition to external pressures to use, our attitudes, thoughts, and behavior

play a key role in relapse. Learning about early warning signs can help you

avoid going back to drinking, using, or other addictive patterns. This exercise

will help you identify your personal warning signs, stop the relapse process, and

turn it around before you pick up a drink or drug or return to another addictive

behavior.

When a person picks up a drink or drug, walks into a casino, or otherwisereturns to an addiction, thats the completion of the relapse process, not its

beginning. Before that happens, there are many warning signs. Knowing the

warning signs can help you cut the process short and stay in recovery.

1. Relapse-related changes in thinking may include persuading yourself that

some new method of controlled drinking, drug use, gambling, etc. will work;

remembering the good times and overlooking the problems; thinking of

addictive actions as a reward for success or a way to celebrate; or believing

that one cannot succeed in

recovery. Please list specific examples of how your thinking changed before

your last relapse, or similar changes youve seen in others.

2. Emotions and attitudes also change as a person drifts toward relapse.

Determination, optimism, teamwork, and motivation may be replaced by

forms of negativity such as apathy, selfishness, and a feeling that being

unable to drink, use, gamble, or so on is an undeserved punishment. Please

list specific examples of how your attitudes changed before your last relapse,or similar changes youve seen in others.


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3. Another area where there are clear differences between an activelyaddicted persons lifestyle and that of a recovering person is in how he/sherelates to others.Before returning to active addiction, our behavior slips back into patternssuch as


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EXERCISE XXXII.A

self-isolation, manipulation, dishonesty, secretiveness, and being

demanding and resentful. Please list specific examples of how your ways of

relating to other people changed before your last relapse, or similar changes

youve seen in others.

4. You have probably also seen common behavior patterns in yourself and

others who were abusing alcohol or other drugs or practicing other

addictions, and seen very different patterns in recovering people. When a

person is sliding back toward addiction, his/her behaviors start looking more

and more like they did before recovery. Some typical addictive behavior

patterns include irregular eating and sleep habits, neglect of health,

irresponsibility, recklessness, procrastination, impulsivity, and other patternsshowing a loss of self-control and the growth of chaos in ones life. Please list

specific examples of how your behavior changed before your last relapse, or

similar changes youve seen in others.

5. Together with the other changes described above, the feelings and moods ofactively addicted people tend to be different from those they experience inrecovery. Common addictive patterns of feelings and mood includeirritability, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, indifference, self-pity, anger,and self-centeredness. Please list specific examples of how your feelings andmoods changed before your last relapse, or similar changes youve seen inothers.

6. Now think back, check with others if possible, and identify whatever warningsigns from all the areas above that you or others saw in you before your lastrelapse. If youve never tried to quit before and have no experience ofrelapse, list the main patterns that were normal for you when you weredrinking or using. Either way, please write these red flags down in the orderin which they happened.


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EXERCISE XXXII.A

Once youve completed this exercise, youve gathered the information you

need to complete another exercise, Relapse Prevention Planning.

Be sure to bring this handout back to your next therapy session, and be

prepared to talk about your thoughts and feelings about the exercise.

early warn signs relapse

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